


Stand In The Rain

by lilpumpkingirl



Category: Fairy Tail, Lucy Heartfilia - Fandom, Nalu - Fandom, Natsu Dragneel - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-30
Updated: 2013-10-30
Packaged: 2017-12-30 22:54:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 22,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1024358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilpumpkingirl/pseuds/lilpumpkingirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruby & Lucy are identical twins, estrange until a fateful call brings Ruby rushing back to Magnoila where old pains flare, dark forces haunt her shadow, and a distant relative of Natsu's seems to always be in the right place at right time. Can she solve the mystery of the piling bodies stacking around her before it claims her and those she loves? Or is it too late for her already?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Call

_This was once called Double Trouble but inspiration from a song by Superchick with the same name as the new title and heavy editing of the first chapter I've decided to repost this story. Also due to the altering and darker details the rating has been changed to M. Over all, this story is a thriller mystery with a hint of horror and I will be describing topics such as murder and rape and death. You've been warned and I strongly urge those under fifteen to not read this._

\- The Call -

I stood, alone in a tavern, one you might see in an old spaghetti western. Slowly I pivoted, taking the whole room in. Stained  wooden floor planks and peanut shells crunched beneath my bare feet, benched tables lined in rows piled high with steaming food on either side, and a dark mahogany bar off to the right with rows of bottles of various shapes and sizes and colors lined the wall behind - all of it coming together, completing the odd scene. The place was dim and dingy. Cast iron lacrima light fixtures swung above, their off orange hue catching festive streamers and garlands that dangled from the ceiling and walls. Red and gold flashes in an otherwise dull monotony of brown.

The few windows didn't help with the creeping feeling of darkness. If anything it made it worse as I could see nothing more than an inky void beyond their staring empty sockets. They leered at me with a darkness that swallowed what little light and warmth the room held. There was no smell to this place either. Strange given how used it appeared with the food, stains and smashed peanuts, and the carving etched into every wooden surface with names or phrases like _'Billy was here'_ or the more childish _'Boobies 're gret!'_ and _'Is room spinning yet? If not, you're not drinking enough!'_  

Other than physically being there, it was like I observed the tavern through a glossy TV screen. From memories alone knowing I should smell the ale, the sweat, and the ever faint stench of acidic vomit that had soaked into the wood planks and could never be completely rid of. Or the flavorful scents of the steaming piled food - of rosemary roast, tangy BBQ ribs, and earthy corn on the cob. But there was nothing. All of it missing and empty and telling my instincts something was not right.

 _Where am I?_ The thought was hazy in my mind. A part of me recognized this place, yet knew not the name or why I was there. I only knew that something had summoned me.

There was a distant _tink_ 'ing noise, like mugs clashed together. Followed shortly with all the other sounds one would expect from a busy tavern, mumbled voices, laughter and shouts. I heard them all and yet I felt like my ears were stuffed with cotton.  I spun around. People were _here_. I could hear them but couldn't see them. Why couldn't I see them? I wanted to open my mouth, to call out and draw their attention, but when I opened my mouth nothing came out. Just a puff of air, nothing more.

"Lucy, are you alright?" a female's voice broke through the drone of sounds. It was familiar but I couldn't place a name or face to the voice.

"I'm totally fine!" I replied suddenly with a smile, flashing a thumbs up to the girl I couldn't see. "In fact, this has pumped me up even more!"

I shook myself. Breaking my body out of the movement and stepped away, from what I don't know. The girl's giggle sounded softly, her voice merging and blending, becoming dull with the rest of the far-away noises. _"Where... Carla?" "It's not man to lose!" "...you hit ever tavern..." "My lovely Gray!"_ Pieces of dialogue reached me, fragmented and disjointed, giving me no sense of context. And yet I couldn't shake the feelings of familiarity. I knew these voices. I knew this place and even had this sense of déjà vu.

Shadowed outlines of people, wispy and faint, popped up around me. Nothing more than gray smudges to me in this dull tavern. Then one grew more defined, a figure that stood close and became more detailed with each passing second. They were a half a foot taller, arms crossed behind their head of colorless spiky hair. The dark purple shirt-coat lined in white, one sleeve purposely missing and revealing a toned arm with a red symbol on the bicep. A thick muffler wrapped around his neck. He. A young man I knew, flashed me a lop-sided smile.

My heart fluttered.

That one smile. That was all it took. Alone it chased the dark sinister feelings I had to the far corners of my mind. Still there, but couldn't scare me.

I smiled back.

He became a light in the dim room, his pink spiky hair, wide smile, and glinting emerald-onyx eyes. My hope and pillar of strength when everything seemed so bleak. As long as he was here, by my side, nothing was wrong. I could overcome anything.

He winked at me before averting his gaze to a small shadow standing on the table. I followed his gaze, the older man's voice reaching me. "Today's defeat is the seed to tomorrow's victory. Let's rise up!" I felt the young man's arm loop around my shoulders, pulling me close. "Cause we fairies don't know the meaning of the words 'give up'! Let's aim for number one!"

Even distant as the sounds were in my cotton stuffed ears, the room exploded with cheering and laughter. The loudest being my boisterous friend, his voice unfiltered as he smashed me close to his body. His body heat came off in miniature waves of simmering heat that made me warm and giddy. I giggled, placing my hand on his chest. His unique scent of smoke and camp fires surrounded me - the first scent I smelt of this place.

A flurry of sounds, smells, and colors flooded my senses. For a brief moment I knew everything. I was happy. I was safe with the man who was my partner, my best friends, and the one I secretly wished was more.

Then these thoughts vanished.

The windows shattered, exploding inward with a rush of arctic wind. It lashed at my body and whipped the ends of my golden hair. I froze, hand fisting his shirt, my owl wide eyes staring at the jagged glass that hung in the air, slowly spinning and glinting in the dim light. The inky void beyond was an ebony thick fog that steadily poured into the room, dropping to the floor and pooling at the edges. The cheering and laughter continued, the people unknowing or uncaring. A look around and to my friend, it seemed it was the former. They didn't know. How could they not know? How could they not see this dark fog that gobbled up the shadowed outlines closest to the walls?

I trembled. The fear that I'd pushed away returning.

"Natsu!" I wanted to cry out but it came only as a whimper.

Chilled air funneled around us and the off orange lights swinging above dimmed with the increasing dark fog that devoured and gorged more of the shadows. Tears welled, eyes stinging as my heart ached for those lost. The nameless, faceless people I knew but couldn't remember. I tugged at the fabric clenched in my hand and I said his name again.

No answer.

The sounds of cheering and laugher grew fainter. More were consumed and the dark fog crept and creeped closer and closer. It inched up the walls and clung to the ceiling. Surrounding us in twisted slithering darkness. I felt the cold, becoming stronger than the warmth from my friend. His comforting scent slowly vanished as a metallic stench and dank musk of death wafered on the chilled wind.

"Natsu?!"

I turned my head, painfully slow in my fear addled mind to find my friend all but a rotting corpse. Mostly skinless as strips of yellow crisping flesh hung limp on festering meaty muscle and white bone. Jelly red blood trickled like cold molasses from his hollow white rimmed sockets and the black void inside.

He opened his mouth to speak. "Lucy... What's wrong?" I couldn't comprehend the words as wiggling maggots tumbled out and onto me.

I screamed and screamed. Yanking myself away and stumbling back and away, the fall jarring as I landed on my back. His bone fingers came up, as if in a calming gesture. I screamed even harder. The pounding of my heart filled my ears as I skirted back in an awkward crab walk. My vision blurred. Salty warmth streaking down my cheeks. I covered my ears with my hands and closed my eyes from the image. Wishing it wasn't real. Praying that this... thing... wasn't him. Not my Natsu. It couldn't be him. He couldn't ever die.

My light.

My pillar of strength.

The arctic wind grew, swirling around me. It bit at me. Snarled and growled with a sinister rumble.

Then ceased.

A pale light shined above me, cutting through the darkness. I opened my eyes. My friend and the old tavern were gone. Replaced with an abandoned warehouse, brick walls, countless murky and broken windows where moon light streamed in fractured and scattered. Around me the dark thick fog from before hung to the shadows. Shaking I shifted, legs curled on the ground in my sanctuary of pale ringed moonlight. Faintly I heard soft sobs. Feminine and weak. They came from my left. I didn't open my mouth to call out. I couldn't.

Instead I got up, first crouching on the balls of my feet, then inching upwards. I took a hesitant step and another and another, pausing at the ring of moonlight before continuing. The dark fog parted, revealing a huddled mass in the corner of the warehouse, hands bond behind, blonde hair matted with mud and blood and a once flashy bright Versace shirt torn and stained, her skirt no better. She lay on her side, in the fetus position. I stopped three feet away. Something pink and frilly by my foot. I dared not think of what it was least I go mad with knowledge.

Her blue eyes opened, wild and frantic when a door somewhere to my left in the darkness and fog creaked open. I was rooted where I stood. Those wild eyes focused on me and yet not seeing me.

"H-Help me," the girl whimpered almost soundless in the musky air, "Please God, someone... Help me."

Tears fell silently from those haunted, terrified blue eyes. I found myself crying with her. There was a yank on my conscious and I fell into those wide eyes. My whole being sucked in until I was those eyes. I felt her mind numbing fear as the door slammed shut and heavy echoing footsteps came closer. I felt the pain from where the rope rubbed her wrists raw, the stinging scuffs on her knees and the bruises on her arms. I felt the bone chilling concrete beneath her.

Her body trembled.

I trembled.

I told my limbs to move, to do something, anything. Nothing. Not even my fingers twitched. Panic swept through me. My eyes flailed about. Whites big and iris black, like a skittish horse as a pack of wolves closed in for the kill. Only it was one wolf, the alpha.

 The footsteps came closer, from somewhere above my sideways head. I couldn't see. I couldn't see _him_. But I knew those footsteps, uneven, as if he had a gimp, a small scuffle as he dragged his foot, unable to pick it up, and then dragged it behind uslessly. I refused to close my eyes, my heart rattling like the wings of a humming bird. He was so close. Too close. What was he going to do?  What was he going to do to me this time?

He stopped.

The black shape of his legs at the edge of my vision.

The seconds stretched on endless in the night. My head spun. Flaking slights spinning and swirling before my eyes. My lungs screamed for air and I let go of the breath. It hissed through my clenched teeth. Wobbly and shaking. Oh God! What did he want? What could he want to do that he hadn't already done? I jerked as something clicked. A weak, mustard light flared and illuminated little around me. He took a few puffing breaths, then with a heavy sigh the scent of smooth scotch infused tobacco with lingering hint of caramel weighed over me. Wispy white smoke licking at my hair and face. I coughed.

He snapped the lighter shut.

I flinched.

Puffing and exhaling.

More wispy smoke blew my face.

I whimpered.

I could feel his eyes on me. Those demented eyes watching me with a perverse sort of pleasure. Why wasn't he doing anything? _God why is he just standing there?_ I wanted to scream at him - to ask him these things. I wanted to cower - to hide away from him. His nightmare. I wanted... I wanted to live. So bad I wanted to live. Max, my little brother with brown hair and freckles. My stern but loving parents. God, my parents! I yelled at my mother for being smothering hours before... No it was days? A week?

 _So stupid. Selfish. Why'd I go out? Why? Why? Why_?

My vision blurred. Salty warmth.

He tisked. I cringed. The disgust and contempt in that one sound alone make me shudder. What happen to his precious? The delicate caressing of words as he petted me. Held me. Mounted me and _'loved me'_ as he would say. They were all gone as a frozen hand jabbed into my hair and I cried out. The sound desolate as it echoed. It hurt. Hurt so much as the grip yanked at my tender scalp. _I want to live!_ My shoulder and side scraped against the ground. His gimp pronounced, scuffle step, scuffle step, scuffle step. The wispy white of scotch and caramel trailed behind him like a train in the dead of night.

_I want to live!_

With a grunt he shoved a door open. It wailed on its hinges. Down the stairs, each short fall biting and harsh. I screamed at each harsh drop. The sounds feeble, little more than shrills from a frightened mouse. Another door slammed open, the stairs stopped. Something wet was beneath me. I slid easily behind him. Scuffle step, scuffle step, scuffle step.  The metallic stench that crashed into me, not overpowering the white smoke but mingling with it. With a sharp pain he threw me on a cold steel table. Then moved away. _I want to live!_ My eyes fluttered, head tilting right.

 I found milky eyes staring back.

I tried to move, to yell, to fight, to scream. But I was paralyzed by those unseeing eyes. Those milky eyes that belonged to a thin, fragile face of a once beautiful girl. Blonde hair dry, the color of lifeless straw. Her mouth, open forever in a silent scream no one would hear. He moved on my other side, unseen. Clanking of metal and puffs of air. His silhouette stood above me, flashing silver, in one hand and wispy white in the other.

"Scream pretty for me," his voice smooth and cold.

_Oh God no! Please no! Live, I want to live!_

My heart, and the pounding in my ears, stopped. I did scream. A strangled inhuman shriek that tore from my raw throat as he leaned closer and closer. The black depths of his silhouette all I could see and the glint of silver. I fell into him, fell into the darkness, in one never-ending shrill.

Until...

A mass jumped on my chest, purring and meowed. It butted my head, moping and moping until the darkness behind my eyes bled out to a blinding pale glow.

And suddenly, I was in my studio apartment, lying amongst a twisted mess of sheets with my blue cat Happy peering over me. His eyes wide and glinting gray, forehead furrowed - though how a cat could furrow their brows let alone look concerned, I didn't know. I panted, tossing my sweaty arm over my head and turned my head right, facing the pale light. My blinds were somehow open. I'd closed them before going to bed. Right? Either way there was the cloudless sky, and the moon. A pale ghost moon ringed in a shimmering silver light that glared down at me.

I shivered.

The moon. For a moment I saw it through shattered, murky windows and framed by bricks. I blinked. The image gone. Swallowing, I turned my head away and looked around my studio, at the concert posters of rock bands on the walls of what was considered my room and stacks of CD and books, so many books piled by the wall and on my five buck yard sale desk that needed two bricks to stay up right, dividing the room before the junk TV that hardly ever worked and a patch-work couch. I took comfort in the familiarity. It was my room. My place. I was safe.

I eyed my alarm clock to my left on the end table. 3:47am blared in the dimness with a bright harsh red glow. The observation was hazy, like I wasn't quite in my own body. My cat bumped my chin with the top of his head, bringing my attention back to him. I brought my other arm up and scratched his head.

"Just a dream," I told him, though it was more to steady myself. "Just another stupid dream."

It was a dream now, wasn't it?

With my cat, in the warmth of my bed, and what meager objects I owned surrounding me the memory of the dream crumbled like a cookie with too little egg and butter. Decaying into bits and pieces where the more I tried to recall, the more I came up blank. Everything blank other than that gods awful feeling of dread and terror that stuck tight, latching onto the shadowy corners of my mind like goopy molasses. I shook my head, hoping to dislodge the horrid feeling.

It didn't work.

I scowled at the ceiling, opting to feel frustration instead of the fear. Getting anymore sleep was pointless wasn't it? There was no way I could get back to sleep with this twisted dark feeling that if I closed my eyes I might not open them again. My heart still thudded in my chest. Sweat soaking the sheets and making my short blonde hair stick to my face. I felt sticky... and icky. Like blood and tears.

I shivered again.

Then I cursed softly, rubbing my eyes. It was going to be another _fantastic_ day. Note my sarcasm. I have a dry, borderline dark sense of humor. Or so my co-worker and few smidgen of friends tell me. You may too if you'd been dealt the shitty cards life's tossed my way, especially this last year. Sort of thing happens to a girl who's hit rock bottom and forced to hide in a grimy hole dug by her own battered bleeding hands. These dreams... nightmares... whatever they were. I chocked them up to ghostly gremlins of those hellish three months yanking me back and reminding me I'm still a frail little girl flinging a tiny twig back and forth against the mangy snarling Rottweiler that was the world. It liked to sneak up and bite me when I wasn't paying attention. Like days I woke up like this... the phrase _'what could go wrong does go wrong'_ fitted perfectly on the days I woke up like this.

My cat nudged my unmoving hand on his head. I continued petting, bringing my other hand back above my head. Fear of the darkness behind my lids made me not want to keep my eyes closed long.

"I'm okay."

Happy opened one eye, watching me. Yeah, I didn't believe me either.

I kept scratching behind his ears, puffy blue cheeks, and under his chin, trying to distract myself from the lingering terror by wondering about my odd companion. I don't know why I called him Happy. For the longest time I simply called him _'cat'_ or _'shitty-cat'_ , which I often still did because I knew it irritated him. I swear he even rolled his eyes once and gave this hissing noise that sounded like a low grumble. There are other oddities besides his hair color and human-like expressions. Like randomly taking baths. I don't think I've ever seen him use the litter box by the garbage can in the kitchen... At least I've never had to change it. He also refuses to eat anything but fish. Mighty picky cat if I do say so.

His loud purrs rumbled down into my chest, calming me, chasing away the terror. I smiled fondly at him, my ever vigilant guard kitty. Or _"guardtom, better than any dog in Fiore State"_ , as Milliana, one of those said friends and also co-worker, liked to joke. His purring increased, a small motorboat sound filling the silence. His head tilted up as I scratched under his chin. A blue haired cat... who ever heard of that? I certainly hadn't until this fury lug appeared outside the window of my boss's house nine or so months back when I lived there, meowing pitifully in the rain.

And let me just say, I know we call it a _'meow'_ because it sounds similar, but I have never heard a cat actually... well... perfectly pronounce meow like they were saying it.

Not until him at least.

I propped myself up on my right elbow and bent close to him, rubbing my nose and cheek into the warmth of his neck. Then I shifted him off to the side and sat up, stretching, arms over my head and a large yawn that cracked my jaw. With a sigh, I let my arms fall and glanced at him as he sat there staring in that freakish way he usually did. It's hard to explain. But when I stare back into those big gray eyes, I don't feel like I'm staring at a cat. It really does feel like he's human. I feel intelligence and thoughts behind those glossy eyes, hidden because I don't speak cat. Though with some of his looks, I wish I did - speak cat that is.

Like now. His brows were drawn down, gray eyes searching my face with a hint of sadness. It was as if the weight of the world was on his little shoulders and he'd give anything to open his mouth and talk to me. Tell me it was okay.

I bit my lip and averted my gaze to my hands, the pink fairy insignia on the back of my right hand that I got the drunken night after graduation looking awfully interesting. No. Scratch that. It only brought up bitter painful memories of friends I used to know and my sister. I refused to think of the other memories it also tugged at. Ones that plunged me into darkness and nightmares. My pulse quickened, chest tightening and it became difficult to breathe.

Raw terror heated my blood. The sort that only comes from the real fears that haunt this world and not some fake movie induced scare. It threatened to swallow me in a blind maddening fright.

I closed my eyes. Then I breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth. Just like Kagura, my boss, my savior from the darkness and nightmare taught me. In... and out. In... and out. My chest loosened and my frantic heart slowed. The fear slipped away. _"You must not fear,"_ her voice filled my mind and I smiled as I pictured her before me in her black gi. This short little Japanese-American with silky black hair and dark brown eyes that almost appeared black, glaring with such ferocity that mountainous men seven feet tall shied away from her.  _"Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. You must face your fear."_  It was funnier because she was so small and pretty. Not to mention she took it from a movie - Dune - and made it her own like everything else she did. _"Own these fears, only then will you overcome them and make them your sharpened blade against likened fears that should ever try and ail you."_

I opened my eyes, intently staring at my pink fairy tattoo. A dank cellar, of cobwebs and of blood swam before my eyes. I cringed, looking away as I swung my legs over the side of the bed, facing the closed door of my bathroom. _Own my fears? I still have a ways to go it seems._

I wiggled my toes on the cream carpet. Innocent cool air from the vent below my bed brushed against my calves but for a few seconds my imagination went ramped and I feared looking down to see a ghoulish decaying green hand with yellow torn nails reaching out. I jumped to my feet and shook my head, swiftly walking to my bathroom only to find myself hesitate on grabbing the handle.

"Oh for the love of..." I grumbled, jerking it open.

The darkness beyond had my heart skip irrationally before I flicked on the light. I blinked, the bright lights leaving spots in my vision and muttered curses at my skittishness. This wasn't me. I'd become stronger, hadn't I? I went to the mirror, searching my face for any blazing signs of crazy. Nope. No crazy in my brown eyes flaked with the color of warm honey. I did look like crap though. My cheeks were ashen, dry trails of salty tears and red rimmed eyes with puffy purple bags underneath. I'd cried in my sleep again, just great.

To complete this wonderful look was the rats-nest of golden hair that usually hung just beneath my jaw, now it stuck up every which way and that. In all honesty, I didn't look much different than any other morning before my five cups of coffee kicked in. Only difference was the tears and darker purple under my eyes. I leaned forward, palms pressing flat against the cold surface of the counter. I glared at myself.

"Ruby," I growled out at my reflection, "Get your skinny white bitch ass out of this funk. Fear is pointless. You know this! So why you letting it get to you? Are you going to cower from your own shadow next?"

I sounded like Cana. I rolled my eyes and turned away, muttering sarcastically, "Great pep talk self. We should do them more often."

I went to the bath tub and started the water, shedding my sweaty shorts and oversized Metallica t-shirt into a careless pile on the tiled floor. Early mornings weren't my thing. I'm not a morning person, period, and even with my coffee fix I'm temperamental and moody. I never did mornings - even before my life turned on its head. That was my sister, the always up with the first ray of sunlight, bubbly and cheerfully sweet it made your teeth hurt. Luckily Kagura understood this; let me work afternoon and nights at her cafe and our other jobs usually required the dark of night anyway.

Last night was my day off. And now, here I was up just before four am and wouldn't see my bed again until after I closed at two... the next morning.  It was going to be a long day and I dreaded the thought of what else could possibly go wrong as I sank into the steaming water. A pleasant hiss escaped my lips and I rested my head back, closing my eyes. You're probably wondering why a cafe is open at night. Well, you could say we are a special cafe... What with a name and catch phrase like _Madam Webs Cafe - gothic fantasy served with a pinch of wicked_ , one has to wonder. It probably should be called a short-order bar, but Kagura said the cafe makes it classier.

I don't see it. We dress as in skimpy dark clothes. Serve rowdy men -and girls- that ogle us like meat and slapped my ass. Mostly orders are for alcohol, though mornings and afternoons there is a rather big tea crowd. We have a bouncer like other bars. We serve greasy fat foods after four, and we usually have drunken fistfights after eight.

All I have to say is, if it waddles like a duck, quacks like a duck and acts like a duck - then by golly it's a fucking duck.

If there is a difference between your normal bars and Madam Webs, then it's we get all types. Fat and thin. Rich and poor. Race is checked at the door. We especially excel with the crazy and just plain... strange. Those odd outcasts and socially awkward who wouldn't dare step foot in a normal bar are oddly right at home with us as they sulk in their dark corners and mope about their mopy lives with other mopsters. The norms, as we call them, tend to stick to the center bar top and more lighted areas. That doesn't mean the crazy, the strange, and the norms don't mix. Happens a lot actually. I tell you, the craziest night I had was when I served a hipster, a goth girl, a college football jock, and a little old granny who happened to be knitting booties for a grandkid.  By the time two am came goth girl had the hipster sobbing a sad story between heated make-out sessions and the football guy was hitting on the granny who made him this _"spectacular hat dude"_.

I snorted, fighting the smile on my lips. I'd only worked at Madam Webs for four months, man the stories I had... You wouldn't know whether to laugh, cringe in disgust, or cry from the melodramatics of it all. All the same I found myself liking the place. It had grown on my much like the gothic dress code had - much to Kagura's horror and my co-workers amusement.

I sighed. I moved my leg up and out of the water, watching as the liquid trailed down my smooth leg. Then I rubbed it. It was still good for another day before I'd have to shave again. My hand trailed on a scar near my ankle. Ugly and jagged with uneven criss-crosses that spoke of the unprofessional stitching some nice druggie girl did. It would be there forever, reminding me of her and how she saved my life that night. Along with other such scars that marred what I've been told is a body most girls dreamt of - wholesome Swedish-like good looks, smooth skin, and naturally golden hair. All I was missing was the height (I'm 5'5) and bright (certainly not brown) eyes.

I didn't see the attraction. Sure, I was thin and had curves in _"all the right places"_ as guys say. But to me the massive bust got in the way more often than not and was a real pain on the back. That, and those same guys leer and can't seem to keep their sweaty mitts to themselves. Not only is it disgusting being gawked at like I'm walking around naked when I'm in fact fully clothed but it's dangerous. The world wasn't all sparkles and unicorns with beautiful princesses being saved by their saintly princes and living happily ever after. The world was dark and gritty. Full of men who prowled on those innocent beautiful princesses, pilfering that spark of hope and light and all that's good, forever twisting their dreams into nightmares.

I wished I could have been born just some plain Jane who never had to know the terror of being beautiful and weak.

Closing my eyes, I let my right leg join the other back under the hot water. My fists clenched as my arms rested on the rim of the tub. I opened my eyes, least I start reliving memories better left in the dark shadows of my mind, watching instead the steam lazily float up. I was strong, wasn't I? I'd certainly come far. Endured and survived. But was that enough?

"DUH... DUH... DUH...DUN-DA-DUN, DUN-DA-DUN."

I nearly jumped out of my skin as the Star Wars theme for the evil Darth Vader sounded from my cell on my end table by my bed. My head hit the back of the tub and a sting of colorful curses followed. It didn't help my mood that it was this ring tone. It was saved for one person and one person only. Someone I really wish Cana hadn't given my number too seeing as I wasn't exactly on speaking terms with them. Hadn't been since this certain someone and our best friend hooked up in the back of _my_ car days after I told her I had feelings for him and was going to ask him to prom. She didn't know or need to know that I actually had asked him to prom and that he had kissed me before shacking up with her. I knew the guilt of knowing I had planned to and told her was enough.

I rose, water splashing over the sides in my haste. Stepping out my wet foot slipped, tweaking my ankle before I caught myself on the counter and bruising my hip on the door-jam as I stumbled out of the bathroom and too my bed. What did I say? What could go wrong did go wrong! I fumbled with the blue _GalaxyS III_ and swiped my password, glaring at the caller id.

_Little Lu._

My twin sister. Dear sweat, little Lucy, ever so innocent - a classic princesses with all those castles and unicorns. She was the one to borrow my car and sleep with our best friend, Natsu, my only crush, and was currently dating him. It would be a lie if I said I wasn't slightly bitter over that. But it was more because of the choices I made after it happened than them being together. Stupid, idiotic and life threatening choices, but my choices nevertheless. I swiped the green accept and put it to my ear.

"What is it?" I grumbled.

There was a startled silence, as if she hadn't thought I'd answer. "S-Sis... sister?" A sob tore from her throat and my protective hackles reared.

"Who hurt you?" I sneered darkly, hand tightening on the phone. "I'll kill him if that moronhurt you."

She choked, again startled by my reaction. Happy sat up, staring at me in all my naked glory as I burned holes into the skull emblem of my _Avenged Sevenfold_ poster by the widow. Then she broke down, a strangled tearful moan that sounded less like her crying for herself and more like fear and pain for another. Either one shouldn't have been associated with my sister.

"Lucy," I softened my voice, realizing I wasn't going to get anywhere with my rough and in-your-face attitude. "Take a deep breath and tell me what happened."

She obeyed, taking a slow shaky breath in and then out.

"I was stupid, RuRu," she started slowly, barely a whisper, only to become frantic as the words spilled out from her mouth, "I've been having these... dreams. Strange dreams. Ever since you left. I thought they were tied to you but then Cana told me you were okay and then I heard your voice and you were okay but not okay at the same time. You wouldn't talk to me and I couldn't exactly face you either. I thought the dreams would stop with that, and they did. I ignored what I'd dreamt and even forgot it for a few months, but then a few weeks ago they started again, more detailed and... I-I'm scared, RuRu. I don't k-know if I'm going crazy or what a-and... It's Natsu. I dragged him into it, my problems with the dreams and now he's hurt. God, there was so much blood." Her whimpering sob was muffled, hand probably covering her mouth. "He's hurt because of me, Ruby. What if he dies?"

There was a small squeak before she completely broke down into what sounded like body quaking sobs.

I stared at my poster, my heart oddly slow and steady. Was I in shock? No. My thoughts still worked. First being Natsu truly was a dim-witted hot-head. How could he allow Lucy to get into trouble like this? Trouble that got him so hurt? Then there was this brief odd disconnect. Natsu. Our best friend, my first crush, and the guy I loved and had my heart torn out of my chest over and led me to make so many horrible choices... Was in danger of dying? Well now, I don't know if my sister was being melodramatic. She did have tendencies, but never over something this serious. Then again we both went a little crazy when Natsu's involved. And yet... I wasn't going crazy hearing he might be knocking on death's door. Weird. I was troubled. Worried certainly, but not afraid or breaking down into hysterics like Lucy currently was. It wasn't because I thought he couldn't die. This past year taught me no one was immune to death. But it was like... I don't know. And I guess these thoughts were more than brief.

"Breath, sis." I stat on my bed next to my cat and petted his head and coached her, "In and out, that's it. Now tell me, what hospital are you at? You are at a hospital, right? I hope you didn't just call me instead of the cops."

A strangled laugh that sounded on the verge of a sob came through the speaker. "H-He's in sur-surgery now. St. Anne's downtown. I-I didn't..."

"Breathe. Take your time."

There were a few slow shaky breaths. "Ash called the cops. Saved us. H-He stayed with us until the police and ambulance came."

I frowned, forehead wrinkling as I puzzled over the guy's name and silently mouthed it to myself. Did I know an Ash? No, I don't think I did.

"Okay... that's good, Lucy. What about Natsu? What sort of wounds did he have that made him so bloody?"

She didn't answer right away, keeping up with the slow breaths.

"A-A stab wound. I..." She sniffled. "I think Ash said it missed anything important b-but... there was just so much blood."

I sighed. Knowing this Ash guy or not, I had a feeling he was a better judge than my sister currently was.

"Then he'll be okay, sis. Some places are like head wounds, they look bad and bleed hella'lot but they're harmless." Unfortunately I knew a lot about wounds. She must have heard the confidence in my tone, her trembling breaths stopped. "Now call Erza. I'll be there in an hour, two hours tops. Okay?"

"Please be careful," she whispered.

"I will." Licking my lips, I hesitated, "Are you better now? Can I hang up?"

"Y-Yeah. Thank you, RuRu. I love you."

I rolled my eyes. Natsu gets a minor scratch and now she's all mushy and dramatic.

"Right back at 'cha, sis."

I swiped end, then stared at my cell for a few seconds.

"Well shit..." Huffing, I flopped back onto my messy bed uncaring that I was getting the bed wet having not toweled off. "I'm going back."

I covered my eyes with my free hand. Small termers in my fingers. I swallowed down the bile the churned in my stomach and crept up my throat. Back. I was going back. Was I even ready? Better yet, would Kagura allow it? The bed shifted, Happy moving closer, his cold nose touched my side, just below another scar. Not as nasty as the one on my ankle, but noticeable. I brought the hand covering my eyes down and petted him. A low purr rumbled from him, comforting me. There was no better way to test myself other than facing my fears head on and going back, now was there? Hell, Kagura might drive me herself if she had to.

I sighed heavily, propping myself up on my elbows to look at my silly blue cat.

"You ready to see where I grew up and meet the gang?"

He tilted his head. Was that a smile tugging at his whiskered lips? His purrs grew louder.

"Of course you are... _you_ have nothing to be afraid of." I groaned, flopping back and refusing to see whatever strange human-like look he gave me. My mind swarmed with all the what-if and dangers. Could I really go back? It couldn't possibly be as easy as jumping in my car and driving. Not when the journey out of that city nearly killed me as did those hellish three months that followed. It couldn't possibly be that easy.

His fury head butted my side. I eyed him from my reclined position. His concerned look was so familiar I didn't question it. I could only smile softly at him, warmed by the small critter who had entered my life and refused to leave my side. No matter where I went, even if little furry critters like him weren't supposed to be there. If there was a will there was a way and Happy was very willful.

 "Right, I'll have my ever watchful guard kitty to watch my back." I sat up, set my hand on his head and pumped my other fist in the air. "We can do this, yes we can!"

Man, I felt silly and childish. Happy must have thought the same because he snorted.

"Stuff it, you shitty-cat!"

~~~~.~-~.~~~~

_What did I change in this chapter? The progression of the story is more or less the same but very few words/sentences remain of the original. Progressing through the story where I've written part of chapter five, I realized that I needed to bring up a few names and hint at a few issues long before I did so it didn't seem like I was just thinking of them. Which I sort of was... I also wanted to bring out the darker feeling of this story and add more details that fleshed out Ruby's character and her troubles. In this she's not so abrasive when talking to Lucy (I used way too many curse words. Something I knew I shouldn't have done but did anyways cause I was being lazy), and hopefully now acts like how an older tough persona sibling should._

_Anyway, I hope this gathers more attention than the last version. I will admit, the original two versions of the first chapter weren't my greatest. I think I was just too excited to start the story... Whatever. Reviews!!! I love reviews! Tell me what you think, what works or what doesn't work. I really need to know!!_


	2. Befitting of Summer

\- Befitting of Summer -

A rainy, tense drive and an hour and forty-one minutes later I stood out in the street under the glow of streetlights. The building loomed before me, gray and dreary. It would have blended in with all the other downtown buildings if not for it being brighter than one of those crazy nuts who took decorating their house for Halloween or Christmas to the extreme with nearly every window alit with harsh yellow light in the pre-dawn darkness.

Only... this was far less cheery.

I shivered in my black leather jacket, shifting my gray backpack on my right shoulder. It had nothing to do with the mid October chill in the air. My palms were clammy. Heart thundering in my chest. I swallowed.

"What the hell..." I muttered. I shook my head.  _Am I that scared to see them?_

True I hadn't seen any of the old crew except for Cana since graduation little over a year before. As hard as I tried to deny this, I had cared. Cared about all of them. Had thought all of them my friends, equally with my twin. But then-  _No, I won't think of that._ I shook my head again and pushed the hurtful memories and emotions away. They were worthless. What happened, happened. There was no changing the past and I was a different girl than I was back then.

Snorting at that thought, I amble towards the glass front doors of the hospital. My black knee-high boots clicked on the pavement. A lonely and dare I say chilling sound when everything around was silent. The hospital was downtown, so why was it so disserted? Other than lights of passing cars ever-so-often and the slush of tires on wet asphalt... the distant sounds of busier streets... ravens cawing on the light post at the intersection... It really was dead.

I ignored the faint wobble in my legs and the flutter of my heart in my chest. Instead focusing on and imagining how they'd take my new appearance. My golden hair sliced short, hardly a whisper beneath my jaw and completely straight. I wore tight dark gray jeans, and beneath my leather jacket that clenched my thin waist and draped down nearly to my knees was a crimson and black corset styled tube top. More startling yet was the dark and heavy make-up outlining my warm brown eyes in smoky purple and black, and blood red lips.

Did I mention the cafe I worked for was a fantasy gothic cafe? What can I say, my day-to-day dress code sort of grew with me.

Gray's jaw would no doubt drop, just before he'd try and hit on me. He always had a thing for the goths in high-school.  _Is he still with that one chick... Juvia was it?_ Levy would no doubt eye my new fashion with curiosity and wonder if Gajeel would finally notice her if she tried it -that is if he hadn't already. All the rest ran through my head. No doubt Erza, Natsu's cousin might rampage. Try and grab me and force me back into the high-designer fashionista I once was. Like to see her try, my wardrobe wasn't the only thing that had changed.

_Chaw, chaw, chaw._

The ravens hackled my nerves, interrupting my wandering mind. My pace slowed. I shoved my left hand not clenching onto the strap of my backpack that was trembling slightly into my jacket pocket. The shake in my knees grew, forcing me to stop just outside of the edge of the mustard colored glow coming from the glass doors. My heart thudded faster, rising to my throat and the only sound I could hear besides the cawing ravens.

It was almost like they were laughing at me.

Before me, through the glass and my blurred reflection was a normal hospital reception area. Cool neutral browns and greens. Nothing that should inspire such... negative misgivings I suddenly felt oozing up within me like some witches boiling green brew in some cobweb infested shack in a dead twisted wood. Nothing that should have made me think of blood, the sickly sweat stench of metallic iron or the abrasive smells of toxic cleaning chemicals. Nothing at all that should have made me see the glint of pointed needless.

"W-Wha..." I whimpered.

I never been in a hospital before, except for maybe the day me and my sister were born. So why the hell was I suddenly so frightened of the prospect of entering one? Why could I imagine the sight of tired doctors and nurses smiling thinly, hiding the ill news of a loved one's pending death? Why did I know I would smell the harsh cleaning products and the lingering hint of depression and death? It made no sense. More than that... why was I so scared of needles? I had shots before. Went to booster fairs and got checked out at the every-day local clinics. So why? Why was this seemingly dreary and normal hospital like some demonic haunted mansion all of a sudden?

"Well, are you just going to stand there all day?" a man said behind me and a turned swiftly, bringing my hand out of my pocket into a fist only to relax before I could slide my foot into a fighting stance when I saw the bored expression of the guy in a bright red hoodie, hood pulled up over his hair and shadowing most of his face.

I was lucky I didn't reach for my pocket knife hidden in my back pocket. That would have just been great. Cause a scene right outside the hospital. "Nope, was just going in," I snap back lightly. With a shake, I shoved away the odd fear I couldn't place as ever having before and walked into the mustard yellow glow, opening the door for him. He said nothing, sauntering past me with his hands in the pocket of his red hoodie, shoulders hunched forward and this air about him as everything was unimportant.

Letting him get a few paces ahead, I entered and muttered, "You're welcome, jerk."

He snorted.

I frowned.  _He couldn't have heard me... Whatever._ I pulled out my cell phone from my side pocket as I walked, hoping he wasn't going towards the elevators.  _What floor were they waiting on again?_ I scanned my texts, glancing up a few times at the man with the red hoodie.  _Damnit... guess he is._ He pushed the button and waited before the elevator doors and I cursed under my breath. I came to a stop four feet away, waiting there with him, thumb swiping through my texts. Then found the right text,  _"ninth floor to the right."_   _Got it._ Pushing the side button and shoving the phone back into my pocket I peeked sideways at the guy but couldn't see his face with the red hood still up. At least he didn't seem to be the talkative kind, which was good, meant I didn't have to pretend to be nice to him.

With a ding, the elevator doors opened. We stepped in. He pushed nine then stepped back, leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. I glared at his reflection, peeved that he hadn't asked me what floor I was going to, but seeing as we were going to the same floor I wasn't going to make a stink about it.

Besides I had bigger issues. My backpack started  _meeeoooww'_ ing.

"Fuckfuckfuck!" I gently brought my backpack in front of me and hunched down. Then I whispered after unzipping it a little. "Stop it, you shitty-cat, I'm going to get into trouble if you get noticed here."

_Did he just grumble at me?_

"Don't gripe. I only brought you because I know you would have found some way here anyways..." Seriously, I don't know how or why the cat had to do it but he always managed to find and follow me. The owner and other girls at my work left treats out for him. Hell, even the clients knew him by name. The over protective Happy, guard kitty and lover of all things fish.

I jerked when the guy in the hoodie spoke up, "Are you... talking to your backpack?"

A nervous chuckle escaped me as I rezipped the small opening and started to straighten. "N-No. I was just-"

"Mmmmeeeooooowwww!"

I stiffened. I could see my reflection in the silver doors of the elevator, my face horribly red. The man pressed off from the wall and stepped closer. I couldn't be sure, but I could have sworn shock registered on his face for a few seconds.

"Do you, have a cat?"

"No it's just... my phone." Would have worked too if my backpack didn't start wiggling uncontrollably on its own and meowing more frequently. I sighed, rubbing the space between my brows. It was pointless now, the disbelief was evident on his face. "Yes. Yes, I do have cat."

I hunched down once more and unzipped the bag completely and Happy popped out before I could do anything. In a flash he was at the guy's legs, little paws up on his knees. Almost like a dog. I gawked like an owl as the guy picked him up with a small chuckle and scratched behind his ears. I blinked, mind not comprehending as I turned my head and looked up, eyes widening further. The guy was handsome, spiky dark red hair poked out from under the brighter red hood. His mouth was twisted up into a sideways smirk. His green eyes -so dark I had mistaken them for onyx at first glance- met my cat's who was purring, a loud rumbling filled the confined space of the elevator. Was that affection and... relief?... I saw in those strangely familiar eyes?

When those eyes shifted to me, the recognition hit me like a brick.  _Natsu? His eyes... they're just like his!_ I swiftly stood up with the bag in one hand and stepped forward. My other hand reaching out as if to grab the cat. "I'm sorry! Normally he doesn't like strangers."

His brow rose and he even turned slightly away, as if to keep him. "It's fine. I'm a cat person."

I stopped moving towards him, only a foot or so away, awkwardly scratching the back of my neck. "Uh... That's grrreat. I guess."  _Geez how much lamer could I be?_

"What's his name?"

"A... A..." I brought my hand up to my mouth and cleared my throat. Dear God, I needed to get a hold of myself. "I like calling him  _cat_ or  _shitty-cat_ but he's taken an odd liking to the name  _Happy._ "

The guy nodded. "Fitting name."

With a tilt of my head, I stared at the cat that rubbed his face against the guy's chest. "I guess... He doesn't usually act like this though..."

"Oh? And how does he usually act?" I looked back to him finding interest and amusement in those green-onyx eyes.

"Like a German Sheppard guard-dog. I can't go anywhere without him following me and chasing people, mostly guys, away."

"Huh, is that so?" That smirk grew. He scratched Happy just an inch behind his left ear, exactly the spot the cat liked it the most.

How strange... it's like he knew about it.

Before I could think about  _that_ the elevator dinged and I cursed, snatching the cat from his arms my the nape of the neck and dumping him back into the backpack.  _Did he just whimper?_ My cat's gaze was on the guy. "Sorry, cat." I zipped up the bag but left space. "There, you should be able to see... don't say I don't do shit for you. You already eat better than I do," I grumbled the last part mostly to myself and gently put the bag back over my shoulder.

The guy in the red hoodie held the elevator door for me with his arm, amusement sparking in his eyes. He said nothing as I stepped out, and then followed me to the right.  _He couldn't be here for Natsu, could he?_ That would be... interesting. The good-looking guy with eyes like Natsu's...  _Actually, not that I'm thinking about it he looks very much like him_. And had gained approval of Happy in less than a second (something unheard of until now), and he somehow knew the gang?

My stomach fluttered with a feeling I hadn't felt sense my sister and best friend had crushed it over a year ago.

"Thanks."

"Yup."

We walked down the bright hallway. My heels clicking while his silent. As we got closer the silence became heavy.  _Think of something to say, damnit!_ I cried inwardly at myself. And yet I couldn't. For some reason my mind was oddly blank. I peeked over my shoulder at him, only to quickly face forward again seeing as his eyes were on me. Indifferent expression from before back and yet the amusement lingered in his eyes. His hands were also stuffed back in his hoodie pocket.

_Well this is awkward... very awkward._

Before I knew it time ran out to ask him for his name or say anything. As I came to the open double doors of the ninth floor waiting room. I stopped, forgetting him as my eyes scanned the near empty room other than the bored receptionist playing with a pen and all the gang slouched in chairs, most in stages of sleep. Gray and Juvia were together still it appeared, her head on his shoulder and his on top of hers. Next to them was Gajeel, one of the few awake and the only one standing with his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. Levy was in the chair before him, he'd draped his coat over her. I smiled softly.  _What a gentlemen, I think he's noticed you, Levy._ Jellal and Erza sat across from them. She asleep, head having fallen sideways and rested on his shoulder. He, though, was awake, staring out the window with a brooding look of concern.

Mr and Mrs Dragneel were off to the side. The older man with dark red hair was also awake, while his wife with light blue hair slept, head dipped forward. Their youngest, Wendy, leaned against her also asleep. There was Cana, drinking a big bottle of rum as she sat cross-legged on the floor fiddling with her cards. There were a few mothers...  _And is that President Makarov?!_ She blinked, staring at her old high school President. The old man snoring the loudest in the room with Mira, Lisanna, and Elfmen beside him also asleep.

I frowned when my gaze fell on my sister. She sat, staring blankly at the floor, close to the others, but with the chairs on either side empty she looked separate, small and alone. Her hair was in a ratty and slightly wet pony-tail. A light blue scrub shirt, obviously not hers, dwarfed her frame. As did the scrub bottoms. She was barefoot.  _So that's why Erza told me to bring socks... Must have gotten blood on her clothes._

"Shit... how depressing," I whispered, shaking my head.

It was like he was dead or something. Which he wasn't, this was the recovery ward. I had checked the shiny sign on the walls first chance I had - in between checking my texts and glancing at the hottie who was strangely next to me now, having stopped when I did. I unzipped the second pocket of my backpack and pulled out rolled up socks. Then without asking or even looking to him to see if it was okay I shoved my bag into his chest. Reflex alone, he grabbed it, his look one of frustration and bafflement.

"If you're just going to stand there, watch my cat." Then I strolled into the room, raising my voice. "What the hell did that moron do this time?" Those awake turned their heads towards me, first with uncertain looks and then recognition as their eyes widened taking in my new appearance. Most of the others woke up. My sister didn't move though. "Also, last I checked this was the recovery ward not the morgue. So stop acting like corpses people." I came to a stop in front of her, then flicked her nose with my black nail. She jolted, blinking, then looked up at me as I put my hands on my hips. "Especially you." A wolfish smile came to my lips. "You should know better, sis."

She blinked a few times, her lower lip started to tremble. I was prepared when she lunged forward, arms wrapping around my waist and she cried. I only sighed, hand coming to her head and caressing her hair. She muttered incoherently into my stomach. Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. "Why are you crying?"

"I-Is that really you?" Surprisingly it was Jellal, the quietest one out of the group that spoke first, having gotten over the shock.

A few others whispered, "Ruby?"

Hand still petting my twin's head I glanced at them, the smirk remaining. "Yes. Who else? Last I checked Lucy had only one twin... and I'm by far the prettiest."

Cana got up with a giggle. "Girl, took you long enough." She swayed over, holding out her bottle of rum to me.

"I see you failed to tell any of them of your trips to see me..." I took a few gulps, then handed it back.

"And miss this reaction when they finally got to see the new you, hell yeah!" She cackled with glee.

My smirk grew. "You're crazy as always, Cancan."

"I have to be, without you and Natsu down for the count there's no one here to keep this fucked up bunch wonderfully rowdy."

I chuckled, gently pulling my sister away and knelt down. She sniffled, wiping her face. "Ru-Ru. You really came."

Pulling the lumped socks apart, I lifted her right foot and started to tug it on. My smirk turned a little dark as I said, "Don't think this means I've forgiven the two of you. I'm just not that much of a bitch to _not_  be here for something like this, Lucy." I shifted to the other foot. "Which, is anyone going to tell me what the fuck happened to dip-shit?"

"He and Lucy were attacked by some gang," the red hoodie guy answered, making everyone jump having not noticed him. Which was strange given he had moved right next to me and was offering his free hand to help me up. I took it, popping up to my feet. Hey, hot guy helping a girl up... hell yeah I'd take it. "I was walking home from the store and helped beat them up, but he'd already been stabbed at that point."

I snorted. "A stabbing, eh?" Then I eyed him, appraising him with a slow up and down look. "Who are you anyway?"

Handing me back my bag, he then brought his hood down. My eyes widened. Holy shit! If not for the hair - which I had thought dark red but was really more a violet red and pinkish color - and the bulk of muscles hidden under his hoodie, this guy could have been a dead ringer for Natsu. No wonder why I thought he was so attractive...

And here I thought I got over my first crush.

He held out his callused hand. One that was certainly not Natsu's seeing as the guy hadn't done a single hour of hard work in his life. There were also a few scars. I took it. Startled by the warmth, actually his whole body was hot. It came off in waves. How was this guy freakishly hot?

"Name's Natsu."

"Eh!?" My brow creased with puzzlement.

"Natsu Dragneel." He grinned. Damn if he didn't have a killer grin, the right twisted up ever-so-slightly.

"You're messing with me, right?"

Mr Dragneel or Igneel rather, came up next to the red hoodie guy I refused to call by that name and startled me further as he rested his large hand on his shoulder. "Actually no. His name is Natsu. He's my cousin's boy. Or second cousin..." His voice trailed off as if he wasn't sure. Then shook his head. "The name runs in our family, even my father had it."

Gray, who had risen to his feet as well, slapped this other Nat-  _nope can't call him it_ \- on the back. "We've been calling him Nat and ours Su since he came to Magnolia for four months now..." He laughed. "Boy does it piss that lug-head off."

I smiled a little. "I bet."

Red hoodie guy smirked and pumped my hand one last time before letting go. "Just call me Ash. Makes things easier."

Okay, I could handle that. Ash. Ash. Ash. And yet at the same the little voice in the back of my mind said,  _Natsu fits better_. I'm not sure why but my brain was having a tug of war over who represented the name that meant  _summer_  best. The Natsu I knew was a hot-head, brazen and bold, and known for his jalapeno and hot sauce craze. But this guy... to me he screamed lazy hot summer days. Maybe it was the scent of smoke and camp fires I got when he adjusted his red hoodie and pulled out this strange white scaly scarf. Why the guy needed it, I had no clue. I never noticed in the elevator but the area around him was hotter, almost like he was his own personal heater.

Gently setting my bag on the chair next to Lucy, I reappraised him. "Ash? Where'd you get that name from?"

His grin grew. "I'm known for accidently setting fires." I couldn't help but chuckle. It fit. I could so see this guy doing it too.

"I see... leaving just  _ash_ behind _,_ huh?"

I felt myself smirking with him, it was infectious. His smirkes were so much like Natsu's - I mean  _my_ Natsu... er my sister's Natsu - and yet they weren't. There was an edge to them. Cheeky and cocky like Natsu's and yet this guy... he could back it up. I knew from the strength of his grip when he pulled me up or when shook my hand that he could. And let me not forget the slight twist his had, going to the right.

His lips opened, grin growing, revealing white teeth. Was his canine's sharper than normal or was that just me? How odd. "You're the first to get it without me explaining." And that clearly pleased him, his dark green eyes glinting happily.

"Am I?" I glanced at the others around me who were watching us as well as appraising my new style. "Not all of them are idiots... I thought someone would have caught on." A few chuckled, while some - Gray and Gajeel who I pointedly looked at - whined that I was being unfair.

After a round of hugs, and comments about my looks from Erza and Levy (which promptly ended when I twisted the red-head's arm and surprised them all by my new strength - or new to them), we sat down around Lucy. I sat to her right as she squeezed my hand tightly. She wasn't going to let it go anytime soon. Fortunately her grip was weak, always had been.

I listened to them all, answering questions about my drive and my job that has me dressing as I do. The whole time my bag rested on my lap and I kept a protective arm around it, praying Happy decided to remain quiet and unmoving. Mrs Dragneel, or Grandeeney, was to my other side with Wendy. Ash and the other boys sat across from us. While Cana sat in front of me, once more playing with her cards. All of them listening to Natsu's twin - I mean a distant cousin...  _seriously how does he look so much alike?_  - as he recounted his tale of coming home from the store with some matches, meat, and lots of red-hots when he heard the commotion.

Very odd combination.

I was the only one to notice or bother asking why he was in that part of town, if he just took the bus he would have been home faster. But he muttered something about being bad with transportation as he scratched his chin and looked away with what was... embarrassment? I couldn't tell. Unlike Natsu he's skin was tanner, clearly spending a great deal of time in the sun. Another point towards him befitting the name better. His comment promptly had everyone laughing at him and he chuckled with them after a few seconds. I shrugged it off, some sort of inside joke I guess. Ash continued quickly, though, telling how Natsu had taken out a few guys before he got stabbed in the side, and then that's when he showed up and beat the rest to a bloody pulp. I wasn't sure I believed him, his clothes were oddly clean and his fists didn't show any signs of fighting.

After he supposedly beat the gang, he then used Lucy's phone to call the cops and waited with her, somehow managing to calm her a little. The reason he was just now there was because he had been at the police station across town giving his statement until just an hour ago. He then decided to walk to the hospital to see how things were. How someone could dislike transportation that much... It was astounding.

From there we drifted to other topics as we waited for visiting hours to come. The mood lightened and I even got some laughs out of the once morbid group. As did Ash. It wasn't just looks the two Natsu's shared but clearly a few personality quirks as well... I could see the cheerful always joking attitude all male Dragneel's seemed to have in him. And yet, at the same time there was a bite to some of his words. He played the dense and happy guy well. Yet I could faintly hear an undertone of intellect and knowing. One Natsu and even Igneel never could have pulled off.

It wasn't that Natsu was stupid or anything, but as for Igneel and his son they sometimes could be very dense. Not able to read others' moods or actions all that well. It was what, in part, lead to my conflict with this group (more specifically Natsu and Lucy) and made me run away to a few towns over where only Cana had bothered to hear my side - thankfully that topic never came up.

But this Ash guy. He was different than the two Dragneel guys I had grown up knowing. Different in that he watched, he listened, and he could read people around him. And then he used that, distracting everyone from the fact that he didn't exactly seem so happy. Or so I guessed. I tend to be a good reader of people myself. Something my twin didn't have. She was just too trusting. The whole time he sat there, directly across from me. He was slouched down, making himself smaller and insignificant, with his arms crossed and that right twisted smirk on his lips as his eyes mostly stayed on me.

A smile that never exactly reached those dark eyes. Not like it had in the elevator or when I'd guessed the meaning behind his name.

As I sat there, catching up and reintegrating myself into the group, I found my eyes and thoughts drifting back to him. What was with this other Natsu who came to town four months ago? Why did Happy suddenly like him without even knowing him when he hated all other men I'd ever had in my life? Why did he befit the name meaning summer more than the Natsu I knew?

And why did his eyes look so haunted behind that smug cocky smirk that twisted to the right?

~~~~.~-~.~~~~

_Hmmmm another Natsu, only he's not Natsu? If you're wondering about the hair color I'm picturing (which is darker than the pink/salmon we all know and love) you can find it in this picture from deviantart. /art/natsu-295560193 It's a slightly darker shade even then that, but it is close enough._

_Also the point of view is from the twin, that not named Lucy but Ruby? Where am I going with this? I wonder if anyone can guess. Hopefully no one things I'm just having twin Lucy's and twin Natsu's that will hook up and all will be hunky-dory. That wasn't the point of this chapter._

_I'm actually quite proud of this chapter. Started writing around 9pm, finished around1:30am and then 30 minute read through to check for spellings and such... I'm sure there's errors and I know I could have done things better, but not bad for four and half hours with the "build as I go" style I've learned over the years. Proud or not I'd still love feedback. Once it's finished I'll probably go back through and do a complete edit so if there are any issues please let me know!_


	3. When It Rains, It Pours

\- When It Rains, It Pours -

Head back and with my eyes closed I sat cross-legged in a waiting room chair, my heeled black boots resting to the side and my stripped black and orange socks visible for the world to see. Rain splattered outside the window behind me, a steady, constant rhythm. And thankfully the only sound in the waiting room currently seeing as I was alone. I always loved rainy days. Always loved October for some reason, not sure why. Maybe because it was still warm enough to go out with a light jacket and yet there was this nip to the air that promised of coming winter? Or perhaps because of the holiday at the end? Halloween. All souls day. Eve of the hallowed.

 _Which reminds me_ , I smiled,  _in two weeks was the Cafe's Halloween party. I'm soooo looking forward to it. Got my cute little sexy Red Ridding good outfit all picked out and ready to go. Aren't the girls going to be impressed._

Besides the lower temperatures, all Hallows Eve, and the rain, the best thing about October was the falling red, orange, and yellow leaves. The carved pumpkins. Also the fact that you could curl up on a couch with a blanket and some hot coco sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg, being a lazy bum, and no one would fault you for it.

_Hmmm hot coco..._

Now that sounded good. I could so kill for some of th-

"Here," a voice I'd heard since Middle school and yet knew it had to belong to  _other_  said with a gruff exhale.

I opened my eyes, staring at the bottom of a Starbucks cup, Ash dangling it above my head. Frowning, I grabbed it and eyed him wearily.  _Damn, I'm out of it._  I didn't hear him come in. I really don't like being surprised like that. I shouldn't ever be surprised like that. I knew better than to let my guard down.

"What is it?" I asked hesitantly, turning the slit opening towards me.

He had a thin knowing smile on his lips, leaning on the wall next to my chair with his left shoulder, one hand shoved into the red hoodie's pocket while the other held his own drink. Hell if he didn't look hot and not know it. He casually sipped his drink. If I hadn't wanted to keep my sanity I'd have dragged him to my car and bumped uglies in the back seat. Not that I was that type of girl or anything... Or that I'd ever been with anyone before - cause I hadn't actually. I know, pathetic. Nineteen and I'd never been intimate with any guy, not to mention date one. After Natsu and my sister I sort of got burned towards getting close to anyone like that again. And to me having sex wasn't something you could just throw around like a cheap throw blanket bought from Wallie-world.

"Hot coco."

My brow rose and I took a sip. Unwillingly, my eyes closed and I moaned. Dear God, it even had the cinnamon and nutmeg. Perfect amount too. Not too much to overpower the chocolate, but not so little that you barely got a hint of it. I took another sip and swirled it around in my mouth before swallowing. Then I frowned with suspicion.  _How did he know I liked hot coco so much?_ I opened my eyes, appraising him with narrow eyes.  _And how did he know the exact ratios of spices?_

Before I could ask, however, Happy chose that moment to peek his head out of my backpack, wiggling the small unzipped portion and jumped to my lap. He stood there, front paws on the arm of the chair looking expectantly at the guy. I blinked, looking from my cat to Ash whose lips tugged right a little. He withdrew his hand from his pocket, with it a can of tuna. Kneeling down, he set his drink on the floor and then used the tab to open it. Happy sat on my lap with a huff, almost like he was pouting.

"Sorry lil'bud, gas station didn't have raw fish." Dark green eyes met the blue fur ball's with amusement, and he left the open can there as he picked up his drink and stood, leaning once more. "Oi, at least it's packaged with water."

My lips pursed as I watched my odd guard cat stare grumpily at him, then, dare I say roll his eyes and jump down and eat the tuna.  _Well... this is a first._ I'd never had a guy offer food to my cat. Only the people I worked with and the customers, usually only the girls. I took another sip of my drink.  _That's right, I didn't get a chance to feed him this morning._ Now I felt bad. At the thought of food, my stomach gurgled a little. Right, I didn't eat either...

I sighed.

"Thanks, for the drink." I rested my head back and looked out the tall window behind me at the dark, rumbling sky.

From my peripheral I saw him take another gulp, then asked, "Are you hungry?"

I blushed, amazed and embarrassed that he'd heard my stomach.

"Yeah, but I'm fine. It's what, a little after one? I can hold out until dinner." Brining my head up I drank again, closing my eyes.  _This is so good._ Absent mindedly adding clarification, "Usually eat only then anyways."

"Why?"

I cracked one eye and looked sideways at him, curious about the tone that one word held. Had it been concern? Why the hell did he care about me? He didn't know me. He owed my nothing. And yet since the elevator he'd been oddly, nice.

"I don't know, maybe because I'm poor ass broke?" I opened my other eye and turned my head to stare at him fully. "Why does it matter to you?"

He looked away, his face becoming unreadable and yet I could see a dark shadow in his already dark eyes. "No reason. Just curious... that jacket, top and boots don't look cheap, and yet you can only eat once a day?"

Huffing, I rolled my drink between my hands. "I fail see how its any of your business, but if you must know, I was homeless for a few months when I left Magnolia. You get used to eating little. That's not to say I don't eat well, I may joke about a top roman diet and Happy eating better than me - but I make sure I get all I need." I paused to take another sip, then sighed. "I just have bigger concerns than worrying about food."

My gaze was distant, seeing the empty waiting room and yet not. I had much much bigger troubles than food. I couldn't stay in Magnolia long. There actually had been another reason I fled as I had. One even Cana didn't know about. I knew she had suspicions, but knew well enough not to ask. Not when it involved her father, Detective Gildarts Clive. Maybe I should pay the old man a visit. A gang attacking Lucy and Natsu... was it just a coincidence?

Doubtful. But then I'm paranoid.

I jerked suddenly when Ash's hand touched my shoulder and on reflex grabbed his hand and wrenched it sideways with a twist, thumb digging into the presser point in his fleshy hand. He gave a gasping yelp. Both startled by the action and the pain as he hunched over. Willing my heart to slow, I let go with a push and glared at him.

"Don't touch me. I don't like it."

His brow was creased with frustration as he shook his hand. His tone one of disbelief, "Aye, no shit. That actually hurt."

My lips twitched up in spite of myself and I took another gulp of my hot coco. "You startled me. I'm not good with that." It was as close to an apology as he was ever going to get.

He leaned back against the wall. "Well you weren't answering me. What got you all dazed like? Better yet, what the hell was  _that_?"

" _That_ was a pressure point, a bundle of nerves that hurt and even paralyze when hit. The body has many and are quite useful for self defense in a pinch." I hid my smile behind the rim of the cup. "As you just felt."

"And you use these  _pressure_   _points_  often?"

It was strange, but I got the feeling he wasn't particularly fond of that idea.

"Use to. Not too much now."

I'm not even sure why I answered him even that much. This guy was too familiar to me. That was dangerous. Unfolding my legs, I balanced what remained of my hot coco on the chair next to my near empty back now that Happy was out of it - who was currently licking his paw and cleaning his face. I started putting my boots back on.

"Thanks for the food, but I think I'm gonna go. Need to still find a motel and what-not."

I disliked the feeling of his eyes watching me. While I couldn't see him as I leaned forward, I just knew he was staring. Those green-onyx eyes heating my skin as if no clothes were there and he had heat vision.

"You're not going to stay with your sister?" It was more a statement then a question.

I snorted. "Fuck no. Hadn't planned to even before..." my voice trailed off. My mood darkened and I grumbled, "Well, you saw. I think I'll take my chances at a crappy holeinthewall than deal with that."

He shifted, straightening and I'd almost say nervously shuffled from foot to foot before blurting out, "You can stay with me."

Holding my second boot limply in one hand, the elbow propped on the arm of the chair. I leaned sideways, away from him and gave him an indifferent look bordering on the edge of skepticism.  _What. The. Hell._ Now I knew something was off. There just no way some random guy would ever be this nice to me without there being something else behind it. Did he want to get in my pants? Or was it something else...

My eyes narrowed, and I inwardly cheered when I noticed his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. Nice to know I could affect even a tough guy like him. "Are you only offering because you pity me, or is it you want something?"

He blinked. Then scowled, startling me when he snapped back, "I'm offering because I fucking want to. Has nothing to do with what shit-for-brains did, and you, have nothing I want."

"Ouch," I muttered sarcastically. Tugging my second boot on and tucking my jeans inside. I then sipped up the side. I smirked. "Then maybe I will take you up on that offer. That is if you're not some closet pervert."

He rolled his eyes, the ire still evident in his tense form and yet the heat of it seeping out of him much like his body heat. "You're the mega-perv if that's where your mind went."

My brow rose, amused. "Touché." With his puzzled look, I clarified as I stood, "Means good come-back, dude. Comes from the French, a sport that uses swords, or fencing as they call it, and is a term that is used to acknowledge an opponent's hit."

I was picking up the bag when I stopped.  _Wow... I just sounded like a damn dictionary._ It bewildered me at how easily I'd rattled off that information to him. Not to mention how familiar said action was - which was interesting seeing as I hadn't ever been one to casually explain things, let alone in such detail, to people when they didn't know something. Not my job to enlighten the ignorant. And how did he not know what that word meant? Wasn't it common knowledge? I shook myself and knelt down, displaying the opening for Happy who stared at the bag with contempt.

"Just do it, cat. It's just for a little bit. I promise you can come out in the car." His right ear twitched, and he stood, his tail flicking as if to say  _'I so hate you right now'_  before settling into the dreaded gray backpack. I zipped it up.

Holding it by the handle, I dug out my cell from my side pocket and texted a message to Lucy. Not too keen on popping my head back into that room after what happened this morning... To be honest I'm not exactly sure why I stayed as long as I had. Had I seriously hoped she would come running out and apologize for that jack-ass? Not that it would make me feel better... Okay, it would have, just a little. But whatever.

_'Leavin', if u feel like seeing me at all 2day or the next, text me.'_

_It'll have to do_. I pushed send. It was short, simple, with just a hint of the anger I still felt bubbling beneath the surface. As far as I was concerned I'd done all a loving sister had needed to do. If she wanted to try and rebuild anything it was all on her now. Now that that she knew what actually happened and all. Slowly I rotated the bag and set the strap on my shoulder, putting it behind me while I shoved my cell away once more.

That's right... I haven't said much of anything about this morning's meeting with my dear old best buddy, Natsu other than passing comments, now have I?

Good reason that.

I was trying not to think about it. I doubt me going on a rampage that'd put Erza to shame isn't the highroad in this instance and I so wanted to look the saint here. So far I think I deserve five golden stars, folks! Seriously, pat me on the back and give me a steak dinner with all the trimmings. Don't believe my holy sainthood? Say, maybe my view is bias? Fine. Here's how it all went down...

.~-~.

"The first group can see Mr. Dragneel now," a tired looking nurse with a thin smile said looking over her clip board at the group, "I must ask you limit it to four or five people at one time. He's more than stable but we'd like to keep the stress down. Beside, the doctor may let him out later tonight if his vitals stay as they are and you can see him then."

A ripple of sighs and cheerful exclamations flittered through our group. I wasn't one. While I didn't want to admit it, maybe I was still bitter and wished he'd suffer a little more? I knew he wasn't going to die. That hot-head was just too stubborn to up and die from a mere stab wound, that from how Ash described it was nothing but a scratch in my book. How'd I know that? Ask me some other time, I don't feel like getting into it.

I remained sitting, rubbing my black nail polish as people separated into groups to go see Natsu. Mrs. Dragneel started to walk with her husband, Wendy and Lucy, only to stop with a frown. "Are you not coming, Ruby?"

"Nah, go ahead Mrs. D, I'll come in the next group."

Hesitantly, she nodded her head. Then she surprised me as she stepped towards me and leaned forward, giving me a hug. She whispered, "In case you go before I get a chance for me to say this, I'm happy to see you well, Ruby. I may not know all the details but I am sorry and hope you three can move past it."

Damn it, I was tearing up. Breathe, must breathe. Hugging her back, I weakly answered, "Thank you, Grande."

She squeezed a little more at the old nickname I had made for her as a child. You know, because her heart was just so big and grande, which was Spanish for big and I had felt that it fit her. With a small rubbing pat to my back she let go and went down the other hall that started at the receptionist desk. I turned back around and stared at my twiddling thumbs for a few seconds. Those around had curiously noticed the exchange but didn't ask or stare.

Well, all but one.

Ash.

I glanced up, having felt his eyes on me. His face was blank and bored, and I couldn't read anything he was thinking. That irritated me. Unreadable people were outliers that spelt danger. You couldn't ever know how they would react in situations. I tilted my head, not shying away from his eyes. He didn't look away either.

"Take a picture, it'd last you longer."

He smirked, finally looking away. "That bothersome junk, no thanks."

I shifted, sitting straighter in my chair. Cana, who had taken Lucy's chair beside me, glanced between the two of us. When I looked at her she nodded her head to Ash and waggled one brow all sultry like. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. The message hopefully clear,  _"Nope. Never. Not in a hundred years."_  Hot guy or not, he looked too much like Natsu, acted too much like Natsu - fuck, even had the same _name_  as Natsu. There was just no way I'd ever attach myself to that kind of heartache.

Taking the hint and knowing the full extent of my pain on that topic, she let it drop. We fell into an easy conversation. One on hooking up later tonight for dinner and drinks and maybe a night on the town - meaning her apartment and that stash of alcohol that took up what was supposed to be her coat closet in the entry way. She knew I couldn't make too much of an appearance in Marigold, though not the why.

Seven in the morning, the skies were dark with rain clouds that only started to open up their tears with a lazy drizzle when Wendy, Igneel, and Grande reappeared. I wasn't surprised in the least that Lucy decided to stay. Muttering to my bag, under the guise of setting it aside, I told Happy to please, please, please stay put and not move and I'd give him a bunch of fish if he did. Then joined Ash, Erza, Gray, and Cana, the latter three having a good old joke about Natsu and the hospital food and how the staff probably wanted him out of there because he ate so much.

I tensed with each step. My heart not fluttering like a free wild bird, high in the sky, but one like one hobbling on the ground with a broken wing and a cat lurking behind a shrub. Or that's how it felt. My heart that poor bird, the coming room the cat rearing to pounce. I didn't like it. My instincts were on recon six, full alert, complete with flashing strobe lights and blaring whistles and horns warning me against entering the encroaching room. 457. Might as well have been 666 for all my body was concerned.

Gray stopped before it, knocking on the wall beside the open door and peeked his head in. "Hey Suzie, how's it going?"

"Fuck you, pervy stripper," I heard Natsu bark back, irritated and yet with a hint of underlying delight.

Gray walked in, followed closely by Erza. "You really had us worried there, Natsu."

"Phht, a tiny pocket knife can't do me in."

The talk digressed, Gray joking about how when Natsu was little thought he was a dragon with indestructible scales. I stayed just outside of the opening, listening. Torn between smiling at the jokes and memories verse wanting to flee like the weak wounded bird I was. Cana squeezed my arm, her gaze worried. I mouthed  _go ahead_. She hesitated, then nodded as if deciding something and walked in.

"Yo, dip-shit," she greeted cheerfully, "Got some rum here, want me to disinfect it."

Natsu yelped, no doubt having flinched away and cursing at her. I took a few deep breaths. Was I really going to do this? Oh shit, I was really going to do this. Yup, I had decided. Face him, face my demons. No more running. No more hiding. At least from this issue.

Ash brushed against my shoulder as he walked past. I'm not sure if it was intentional or not but it got me out of my thoughts. It was brief but he gave me an odd look, curious and surprised, before he entered the room, interrupting the flow of talk. "Shit, you lived." I shuffled towards the opening and peeked in, watching as they fist bumped. "And here I was hoping the idiot who puts my name to shame would finally bite it."

My eyes fell on Natsu as he tossed his head back and laughed. Same warm tingly inspiring laugh. Same dark green eyes that drew me in. Same rosy colored hair. He hadn't changed this past year. Not one bit. If not for the wrap that flashed under his open scrub top, he looked better and healthier than ever. I could not deny that I wasn't a little disappointed. Had my leaving done nothing to him? Had I ever been his best friend? Had I not been the girl he dragged around with him, helping him with pranks on all our friends only to flee in fits of laughter as we ran away from my screeching sister?

"Nope." Natsu patted his stomach lightly with a faint winch. "Still going strong. I'll be keeping my name a little longer yet."

Ash snorted. "Too bad. I should've taken my time and had some fun with those punks that gave you so much trouble." He stood next to Lucy's chair that was next to the bed, and reached out with his hand with his next words and ruffled her hair. "Then Lucy would have been free of the moron like you."

Natsu crossed his arms, pouting as he muttered, "I could have finished 'em. They cheated."

"You are a fool," the words were harsh and biting, starling. "Cheating? Fuck, there's no such thing. Real fights, your life is on the line. Anything goes." Ash shoved his hands in his pockets, his tone lowering further, becoming deathly cold. A tone Natsu never used and sounded  _wrong_  as it came from the bizarrely similar voice. And maybe it was something this other Natsu didn't do that often either because the others looked at him, shocked. "You should be dead now. And if I hadn't stumbled upon both of ya you would be dead. Where'd that have left Lucy, huh? I'm not saying girls can't protect themselves, Erza proves that, but she's not Erza." He gestured with his head towards Lucy."I thought you had enough sense to not be  _that_ reckless to put her safety at risk."

The silence that filled the room after his rebuke was staggering. All of it right. And more than that, no one, and I repeat, no one had ever been able to shut Natsu up like Ash had. At least I'd never seen it before. To so thoroughly put him in his place... No one even dare try before now. Why? Because Natsu simply wouldn't listen. He would, either brush if off with a joke or get defensive, and taunt back. Now, instead, the hot-headed man that I never thought would back down from a fight bowed his head and clenched the blanket at his waist. Giving into the truth, and almost bowing before the alpha male before him like a wild wolf would. I could see how much taking Ash's words without commenting back pained him. At the same time I could also see the hints of the almost elder brother relationship Ash had over him, and the respect Natsu felt.

What, I couldn't help but wonder, had Ash done to become such a figure in his life in such a short amount of time?

What had he done to become the dominate force in Natsu's life when even his own father was heedlessly brushed aside in wonton recklessness?

Ash tisked, bringing his right hand up and ran it through his spiky deep violet red hair, and scratched his head. Turning his head to the side as he slumped his shoulders, he asked, "You should use that head of yours more often, dweeb. I know you have one. What were you doing in that part of town at one in the morning anyway?"

That was a good question. Everyone knew the south industry section was a red zone for crime and gangs. I also noticed with that comment that Ash hadn't said where exactly the fight had gone down in front of everyone before. It also made me realize that Ash may or may not have been telling the truth about his store expedition seeing as the south section was far beyond the beaten path from the store he named and apartment land. Unless I was missing something about where he lived, he hadn't really given details about that.

Wanting to hear, curious about where this was going. I stepped into the open entry, trying to be quiet. Unfortunately a nurse at the nurse's station behind me dropped something and it clashed to the floor loudly, drawing everyone's attention to the doorway, and regrettably me. That also meant any and all talk about what really went down last night ceased as Natsu finally noticed my presence. His eyes first wide with recognition, then narrowed.

"What's she doing her?" he crossed his arms in a sulking pout.

Lucy's eyes widened. She paled and whispered, "N-Natsu!"

"I guess I should have gotten hurt sooner. Why didn't you bother to inform anyone where you were going or why?"

_Oh. Oh he didn't. He so didn't._

_Yup, he just did._

I clenched my teeth. Keeping my expression emotionless, a skill I'd learned from my time away. Everyone tensed, expecting something out of me. Though not exactly sure what. Ash knew nothing of what happened, I hoped. Erza and Gray only heard whatever twisted view Natsu had spun for them. And only Cana knew the full truth. When I said nothing, did nothing. Most relaxed. I noted Ash and Lucy hadn't, but I didn't give a shit about them at the moment. I pushed off from the door jam, walking casually forward. My eyes staring him down. He squirmed nervously. Good. Bastard deserved to feel some discomfort.

"Why?" I tilted my head slowly, my voice blank and equally emotionless as my face. "I do wonder that, Natsu."

"Yeah, why?!" he snapped, getting defensive. "Come on, Rue. You left the day after graduation, we were all worried about you."

I laughed. It was a cold, humorless laugh. Then I stopped, his eyes widened. All of their eyes widened, startled that such a sound could come from me.

"Funny. You are just so fucking hilarious." I released the hold on my anger, letting some of it show on my face as my eyes narrowed, and smirked darkly. "And pretty pathetic actually. If you wanted to find me you would have looked for me. Like Cana and her old man had. I was only two towns over." I put my hand on the foot of the bed and leaned sideways. "So stop with the games. We both know you know _why_ I left. We also know that you care more about your pride than whatever our friendship meant."

"Hey! That's not true!" he cried out angrily, "The three of us were the three amigos. All for one and one for all!"

I scoffed and shook my head. "You are a moron. The three amigos are not the four musketeers, Natsu. Don't go mixing up catch phrases."

"I knew that," he muttered, blushing a little bit as he turned his head to the side. Looking like some little kid caught trying to be cool and revealing that, no, he hadn't known that. "What the hell is wrong?! You disappear and come back some nasty witch. What did I ever do?"

My brow rose, crossing my arms. "What did you ever do? Enough I'd say."

"Ahhh..." Gray took that time to foolishly interrupt. "Hey Ruby, maybe you should chill. This can't be good for Natsu."

Surprisingly it was Cana and not me that reacted, shoving the now shirtless Gray roughly by the shoulders and sneering. "Gray, shut up. You know nothing and those who know nothing should say nothing."

"How am I supposed to know anything if she, and especially you, never tell us anything!? You knew she was okay all this time?" His fists tightened. "Natsu's right, we were all worried. What if she was kidnapped or died in a ditch somewhere off the highway?"

"Like you would have known. You guys never bothered to search. I asked you." Then she looked at them pointedly with disgust. "All of you, if you would help me. But no, you all were too fucking busy with your self-centered lives." Erza opened her mouth to defend herself, having risen from her chair but Cana cut her off before she could, pointing her rum bottle at her, "Don't. Just don't. You got as far as printing out posters but could you be bothered to help me put them up around town? No. You had a  _very_  important internship that you just  _couldn't_ get out of. Isn't that right?" It effetely shut the red-head up. The brunette turned on Natsu, glaring at him. "And you, you were the worst! Whenever I mentioned her name you would bring up something else and completely ignore the issue. Like she never even existed. If it wasn't for Lucy and the others, or the fact I'd get arrested for assault, I'd bash your head right now for what you did."

Natsu blinked, confusion and bewilderment crossed his features. Then shouted, "Fuck, what did I do?!"

Cana stared at him, as did I. We looked at each other, both realizing that he was serious. She just shook her head and went to take a drink of her bottle only to find it empty. "Shit, this is too much and I'm out of rum." She pinched her nose and sighed, then looked at me. "Can I? Can I  _please_ tell him? Them?"

I shrugged and stepped away from the bed, closer to the door and my freedom from this dramatic show that pained me so. "Be my guest."

Tossing the bottle away in the trash can near me, she then went to where I once stood and sat on the end of the bed. She put her hand on Natsu's covered leg. "Natsu, I'm going to say this very slowly so you hopefully understand. You, stupid moron that you are, kissed and then promised to take one twin to the prom while sleeping with the other in the back of said twin's car on the same day." She pointed at Ruby. "She was the one you initially kissed." She pointed at Lucy. "She's the one you ended up with in Ruby's car." She gently patted his leg while the words settled in on everyone in the room. A painful train wreck that you couldn't help but watch. "But being the good sister that she is, Ruby never told anyone this, even when you showed up taking Lucy to the prom instead. Then not once did you even bother to try and talk to her to understand why she was avoiding you. Two. For two fucking months I might add, and then came graduation." She got up and gave him a look of pity. "Now I always knew you were dense, Natsu, but never did I believe you were that dense not to notice the difference between Lucy and Ruby when you out of all of us were the closest to them."

Lucy was pale and teary-eyed. Fully understanding now, the scope of what happened. It wasn't so much that I had told her I was going to ask Natsu to prom, but that I had and he agreed. Her voice shook, "Did that... happen, Ruby?"

Everyone looked at me, and I could only give them an amused smirk. Not even here half a day and already fed up with Magnolia. I just nodded my head. Not trusting my voice.

Erza's look turned dark as she glared at Natsu. "Seriously?"

Gray shook his head and cursed. "You are an air-head, man."

I was careful. Oh-so careful not to reveal the turmoil I felt, keeping my mask in place as I had learned on the streets. Weakness. They'll eat you alive if they sense it. I wasn't ready to deal with this. I don't know if I'll ever be ready. As if sensing my pain, Cana grabbed Ash's arm tugged him after her and walked over to me, looping her other arm in mine, turning me and pushed Ash through the doors.

"I think you four have some talking to do," she threw over her shoulder as we exited the room and managed to grab the door handle to close it. In the hallway she looked at Ash. "Do whatever you do..." She shrugged, then turned to me. "You and me are going to play some poker." Weaving her fingers with mine she dragged me off.

I could have stopped her. But I didn't want to.

Halfway down the hallway I turned by head back, feeling dark green eyes on me. Ash stood, watching after us with another unreadable expression on his face.

.~-~.

That, everyone, is the big secret. Or at least the reason they will all think I left for.

Miserable, and feeling the beginning twinges of a headache; I shifted the backpack and started walking towards the elevator. My heels clicked on the tiled floor. Ash followed silently. Just like when we came. I didn't know what to think about the guy. Nice I guess. He got me a bottled of water when I played poker with Cana. Even joined us on a few rounds, getting both of us to laugh and never once mentioning what happened. It was none of his business of course, but still, most would say something that would attempt at making you feel better when such dirty laundry is aired. Same could not be said about Gray and Erza (and I'm not proud of the fact that I hid for a few hours in the child ward two floors down to dodge any questions). Ash then offered to get whatever I needed at the gas station. I refused and yet he still brought back a hot coco (a perfectly spiced one I should add!), and a can of tuna for Happy.

And now even letting me crash at his place for a night.

Ash stepped beside me and pushed the elevator button. Silence between us. Slightly awkward and yet, I was strangely comfortable with this sort of silence (I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing, I'll get back to you on that one). We stood there, watching each floor light up.  _Three. Four._ A loud pounding sounded, coming from the waiting room, then towards the hallway.  _Five. Six._ We both turned, looking to find Lucy rushing towards us. Or rather me.

It was comical and sad all at once, the oversized scrubs dwarfing her body and making it difficult to run as she held the pants up. Her face was flushed. She tried to stop, only to slid in the socks I brought for her and I barely managed to toss my back to Ash to protect my cat as she slammed into me, misjudging the distance, and took us both off our feet. Surprisingly, I managed to not spill my hot coco, while also catching her. My instinct also kicked in, knowing to keep my teeth together so I didn't bite my tongue off as we crashed to the floor.

And that, my friends, is how a hug can nearly kill a girl.

My head cracked against the tile, light exploding behind my eyes. To me it felt like minutes passed, but it was probably more like five seconds as I lay there, dazed. Hand on her back. Other holding my drink.

"Ooooouuuuccchhh," I groaned.

Lucy, protected by me, swiftly got to her knees, her hands fluttering over me worriedly. "Oh my god. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Ru-Ru. Are you okay?!"

I sat up and shook the floating stars from my vision. "Good. I'm just swell. Peachy even." I grimaced, taking a sip of my drink to hide the pain and dulled mental functions I felt slowing me down. "Is there a reason a normal hug wouldn't have sufficed?"

She sat back on her legs, giving a nervous chuckle. "Ehhhh..."

"You are still such a klutz, little Lu." Smiling softly, one eye closed in a small wince. I shook my head.

Her eyes became big and watery, a pout on her lips. "Ru-Ru. I'm  _so_  sorry. I should have... I didn't even suspect... I..."

I held up my hand to stop her. "I know."

Her pitiful guilty look, however, rubbed on my conscious raw. Geez, I'm such a sucker for my little twin, younger by seven minutes. I know I shouldn't tell her anything, especially with some unknown guy watching us. But a part of me didn't like it. I can't let her keep thinking I left because of her and Natsu. Did it help? Oh certainly, but it wasn't the reason.

Rising a little too quickly to the balls of my feet in a hunched position, I nearly fell back on my ass. Luckily she caught my shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Waving her off, I balanced myself and rose. Proud of myself for not swaying even as the room spun. "Yup, yup." I sighed. "Look, little Lu. I didn't leave because of that..." That caught her attention, distracting her away from what could possibly be a bad concussion.

She stared at me, examining me and thinking as she worried her lower lip. "You didn't?" Then she shook her head, realizing some truth, at least in her mind. "No... You always face things head on. Angry and irritated, but you'd never run or hide. What happened, Ruby? Are you in trouble?"

I chuckled.  _Damn it, knew I shouldn't say anything._ "Nope, no trouble. I just wanted you to know that while I was certainly  _angry and irritated_  about  _that,_ it wasn't the reason."

She eyed me with uncertainty, brown doe-eyes trying to read my passive face that wouldn't tell her squat anymore. I knew what she was thinking. I mean, we are twins and other than the times I was pulling pranks with Natsu and running from her, we were inseparable. It frustrated her that unlike me still able to know what she was thinking, the same couldn't be said for her. It also scared her. There was this wall between us that never used to be. A wall she had help build and the man she loved supplied the mortar and man power. She also knew, though, that while I would never usually flee from things, I also wasn't immune completely. If something was enough of a threat and scared the shit out of me, I would go into hiding. I would disappear.

Just as I had.

So much had happened in our lives. I had always been the strong one. The tough one that protected and sheltered her. What with are parent's horrible and tragic murders that had us changing our last name from Heartfilia to Ashley so we could hide away from the media and still at large culprit, and the countless crappy and sometimes abusive foster homes - until finally we landed in the home of the Scarlet's and settled in Marigold. Not much scared me anymore and I didn't often break. But when I did... I broke hard.

She was the only one to know this. The only one to see this side of me.

The worst being that one time that I hid in the woods for two days, crouched by a tree, rocking myself and unresponsive to the world around me after the boys decided it'd be a  _wonderful_  idea to stage their own deaths with tons of fake blood and Gajeel holding a knife as he wore a ghoul mask. It had been harmless. The blood obviously fake. But none of them were ever aware of our history or that I had been the one to find the mangled bodies of our parents... the killer still standing over them.

Right. No more thinking of that!

"Okay..." she said slowly, "You'd tell me if you were in trouble, right?"

I smiled. "Of course, little Lu. You worry too much."

She nodded. Once, then twice as if to set her mind straight. If this had been before graduation she wouldn't have ever let this go. She would have known. But then I've become quite the actress since my time away.

"You're right. I do." Hugging me suddenly, she buried her head in the crock of my neck. She remained there for over a minute before pulling away after a small squeeze. "You're going to Cana's?"

I looked out the window at the pouring rain, ignoring how light-headed I was. "That's what she told me. Can't remember when though..."

"Seven," Ash offered.

I blinked, remembering he was there. Then gave a nod in agreement. "Right."

One hand on my shoulder, she leaned forward and pressed her forehead against mine and weaved her fingers with those of my free hand. "I'll be there, Ru-Ru. I miss you so much."

Her eyes were watery again. Damn it, if mine weren't too. But that might be from my pounding head. I blinked. "Yeah, me too."

Squeezing my hand, she then stepped away, slowly, letting my hand go and backed away. Her eyes traveled from me to Ash. "Look out for her for me, will you?"

 _Oh, isn't that nice..._  the hallway was swirling and black creeping on the outside of my vision. It took everything just to stand there like nothing was wrong.

"Uh... sure, Lucy," he scratched the back of his head awkwardly with the hand that held my bag.

Satisfied, my sister turned and walked away, holding up her scrub bottoms. Not even a second later, when she disappeared from sight, I stumbled into the wall next to the window, bracing myself with one hand. I shook my head.  _I don't need this now._ I pressed my pounding head against the cool window, listening to the thudding rain outside. I just wanted to get to my car, crash on a bed and sleep. Sleep sounded really good. In my dimming peripheral vision Ash threw his drink into the trash, hoisted my bag over his shoulder and came over to me.

He reached for my arm, but I shook him off and snarled, "I'm fine."

Ignoring my hostility, he seized my arm and dragged me to the elevator. Having to repush the button since it had long passed. It was close though, on the twelfth floor and coming down.  _Eleven... ten..._ My vision was increasingly darkening when it dinged and slid open. He dragged me in after him and pulled me close, forgoing any sense of personal boundaries as I wobbled. My body threatening to pitch forward. I found myself pressed into his muscular body, face to face until he forced my head down and looked at the back of my head.

Was it me or did he just mutter, "Thought I smelled blood."

"Is she okay?" a high-pitched voice that sounded as if it hadn't been used in a long while squeaked.

"Cracked her head open."

My thoughts were scattered and random.

Fake blood. Clowns. The rain. Was that my cat that just spoke or a tiny woman? I couldn't turn my head to look. Boy, I really liked October. That hot coco sure was good. Did this guy have an eight back, geez he's ripped!

I laughed, finding the whole situation hilarious. Here I was suffering a concussion and a guy who  _could_  have been Natsu if it weren't for the fact that he wasn't, was stuck helping me down to the first floor to get stitches. Oh and I was going to be staying the night at his house. I found myself laughing more.

"What's wrong with her?" there was the high-pitched voice again.

"Not sure."

I closed my eyes. Seeing as everything was mostly dark and dancing shadows anyways, it didn't matter all that much. He had long taken my drink from me. Where it went and when exactly, I don't know. But I was suddenly... or was it slowly... picked up. My head lulling to his shoulder. When did I stop laughing?  _God, my head hurts._

He shook me.

"Oi, stay awake."

"Mmm'kay."

Now he was carrying me. What did I say about these sorts of days?

Nothing ever good happens.

Guess when it rains in my life, it pours, and here I thought I liked the rain.

~~~~.~-~.~~~~

_Wow, this is starting to become surprisingly complex... To be honest I'm not exactly sure where it's going now. I was also torn about how I put the confrontation in the middle as a sort of flashback... but I'm trying to go with my gut instinct here and not over think this story. Just going with the flow. I didn't want to hit everyone with the confrontation at the beginning. Had this image of her trying to ignore the problems as she thinks about the rain and October and Ash giving her this hot coco. Same with the ending. I knew Lucy needed to sort of reach out to Ruby, but I didn't expect the sock slide and hit to the head. But it does fit the name of this chapter, which I had come up with by the middle of this. I also never realized her issues with Lucy and Natsu weren't the main reason for her running away..._

_Eeekkk I'm excited for the next chapter now. This is kind of fun. Not knowing what comes next and going with whatever I first come up with. Sad that it don't seem people on here aren't that interested... Sort of disheartening. Wonder why that is. I think my biggest question is if the dialogue works for everyone... Does it sound like different people?_


	4. Giggles, Pains, and Mufflers

\- Giggles, Pains, and Mufflers -

The next hour I sat on a gurney in the mess of hallways that was the emergency section of the hospital, legs dangling and swinging. It wasn't that busy. But then I was detached from the world, watching with a child-like fascination at the blurred colors and fluttering movement as doctors in white coats and medical staff in rainbows of colors rushed by.

I felt good. Like really gooood. Everything wonderful and perfect and giddy.

Must be the meds they gave. Most definitely the meds. Turns out I didn't need stitches, but I did hit my head really hard. The nice nurse with wacky hair, looking like she belonged more at a rock concert than at the hospital, told Mr. Summer guy next to me to stay put for some time, just to be safe. Oh, and to keep me awake. Must stay awake for... eh... I can't remember.

I glanced sideways at him. He looked bored. Like really bored. He leaned with his back against the wall, head tilted back and hands in his red hoodie pocket. His green-onyx eyes watching the happenings around us. My eyes shadowed his profile, starting at his spiky violet red hair down his forehead to his noise, his lips - pausing there - then down to his defined chin above his neck. His white scarf hung loosely around his neck, resting on his shoulders. I remember it being soft. Like really soft.

Gee, my vocab really was sucky.

And I really like the word really.

I giggled.

"What is it now?" Mr. Summer guy asked and his eyes trailed after a male nurse before landing on me.

"Nut-tin."

I giggled.

He examined me. Sighing, annoyance creased his features as he looked back at the commotion around us. "I told you, your bag is behind you."

I shook my head, giggling harder. His gaze came back to me as I shifted my legs around the corner of the gurney to better face him. My legs brushed his. With a sing-song voice I said, "Thaaaat's nooot iiit."

One brow rose slightly as he lifted his head from the wall. "Huh, is that so. It was the last fourteen other times. So what is it now?"

I hopped off the gurney. The world swayed. Oh, nope, that was me. I giggled as I pitched sideways, away from him. His hand swiftly come to my arm and steadied me. With a smile I faced him and seized the scarf. He blinked when I stumbled forward into his chest. His warmth swarmed me, hotter than when I had been sitting. Hesitantly his other hand moved to my lower back, pressing me close. I ignored him, instead focused on the object of my curiosity.

My fingers rubbed the scarf. It was soft. The material something I never knew of and yet I somehow recognized it. Recognized... But where?

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked.

I tilted my head up a little peering at him through my lashes. My frustration at not being able to recall how I recognized the scarf must have showed. Though how, I couldn't say. I still wore a small smile. A smiling scowl, I must have looked demented. Or just plain weird.

"This." I looked back at the scarf and tugged lightly at it with both hands. Wanting to feel more of it, see more of it. If I had it, all of it, maybe then the thing bugging me in the back of my chaotic mind would reveal itself.

"My muffler?"

Tilting my head, I puzzled over the different word. "Muff-ler... not scarf?"

"Same I suppose. Here." He grunted, unwinding it from his neck with one hand and placed it around mine. "Was told once by someone close that a muffler is thicker and heavier, used mostly in winter environments while a scarf is usually thin and at times used more as a decoration."

The smell of him surrounded me. Musk licked by fire and sun. My fingers curled around it, but held it closer. His hand pressed harder against my back, his other hand went to my waist. If I had any sense of myself I would have been disturbed and frustrated, being this close to him. I didn't care though. All that mattered was this damn muffler. Where had I seen it? I know I have, but for the life of me couldn't place where.

"Where?" I muttered.

He didn't answer. Clenching the fabric in my hands, I glanced up at him. His eyes were distant even as he stared down at me. Emotions my foggy mind couldn't dare hope to understand were teeming in his dark eyes. As I stared I found myself being pulled in, drowning in the unknown emotions. I tilted my head, trying to make since of them, cause I knew I knew them. This Natsu... This Natsu could never be the Natsu I grew up with. This Natsu was on a whole other level than the one nine floors up. This Natsu had known pains and fear and desperation. He'd lost. Felt the anguish of loosing something precious to him. More than once, if I had to guess, and had endured with this loss.

My smile fell, recognizing one of the emotions.

With little thought to what I was doing, my left hand released the muffler and came to his cheek. His gaze snapped back, focusing on me. I whispered the emotion I saw, "Sadness. You're sad."

His mouth parted a little, a slow shaky breath escaping him. He took a deep breath in to collect himself, licking his lips. "Yeah, you could say that." His gaze dropped down and I followed it to my right hand and the muffler.

"The one who gave you this? Where are they?"

His left hand that had been on my hip came up to my right hand, covering over it and rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb. "I'd tell you if I knew, still searing for him."

"This person was... taken... from you?"

He chuckled, but there wasn't any joy in the sound. "No, not taken, he up and left one day and I've been searching ever since." As if it were an afterthought he added, "I'm sure he had his reasons."

Bringing my left hand down, back to the muffler, I searched his eyes again - those dark turbulent green eyes that watched his thumb's movement caressing the back of my hand. I stated softly, "But it hurts."

He gave a small nod. It was like if he voiced it something in him would break, and he dared not break, not now. It wasn't this topic though... I don't know how, but somehow I knew it wasn't this person, this _he_ he spoke of that caused this depth of pain and sadness I could feel and see in his eyes. Confused more, I looked down at where he traced my pink tattoo. Another realization slowly dawning on me, it had never been the muffler he'd been looking at.

"It was given to me by... I say he is my father but he was actually the one who took me in, sheltered me and raised me," Ash said, continuing on the topic of the muffler. "Among other things too. But I never knew-" He shook his head, correcting himself. "I don't recall my real parents. I've been searching since I was eleven for my foster father when... when life took something else I only then realized I cherished more and I started another search that brought me here where I met my uncle and his family."

My brow creased, a question I wanted to ask on the tip of my tongue. But before I could even begin to piece the scattered words together the punk rocker nurse coughed behind me to get our attention. Ash quickly let go of my hand, the emotions vanishing behind his bored mask once more. His hold loosened on me as I gave him one last glance before turning to face the woman.

"How you feeling, Ms. Ashley?"

 _Oh, a little annoyed_ , I mentally huffed, but gave her a smile. "Feeling right as rain." Then I gave an honest giggle finding the phrase funny since it was still pouring outside.

The nurse chuckled. "That's good to hear." Her eyes locked with Ash's. "You can leave now, seeing as nothing has happened this past hour she should be fine. I wouldn't let her sleep for another eight or so hours, though."

"Thanks," he replied gruffly.

Punk nurse blushed a little. "No problem." She eyed the two of us then bided us a good afternoon before leaving to the medical station down the hall.

I jumped a little when I felt his hand slide into my side pocket and tug out my cell phone. Without asking for permission or for what my code was he swiped his thumb across the screen, somehow knowing it, then scanned through my contacts. Curious, I partly listened to him and whoever he was calling as I watched my surroundings. Down the hall punk rocker nurse was seeing to the commotion that just entered the emergency double swinging doors with other medical staff. It looked messy. I caught sight of blood. Lots and lots of blood. Ash directed me forward, then grabbed my bag and put it on his shoulder before putting his hand on my back and guiding me away from the chaos. In his other hand was my phone pressed to his ear.

"No it's Ash," he said. With the noise behind us, I couldn't hear the other person. "No-no, calm down. Ruby is fine. We are still at the hospital and someone hurt just came in." I was torn between wanting to listen to him and turning my head to gawk at the scene behind me. "I'll tell ya when you get here. I need you to drive her car." I stopped moving, seeing the flash of blonde hair. Noticing, he stopped as well and looked at me than at the mess at the end of the hallway. His lips pressing into a thin line. "Fuck off, you drunkard. I can't help how I get sick." There were police and so much blood as they guided the gurney towards us. "Shit, whatever. Fine! You can have a  _small_ get-together at my place. Small, Cana. I still have leaky holes in the roof and no heat. Just hurry up."

He drew the phone away, like me watching the progression of people with the bloody girl turned down the hallway a few feet from us. Fear twisted inside me. I may not have been mentally there completely but even I could tell that girl looked an awful lot like me. A lot like Lucy. And I don't think she was going to make it. All her blood was out of her body and those were some nasty slashed marks along her arms and stomach.

I swallowed. Was it too late? Had me coming to Magnolia caused this? Something in my wayward mind told me that no, this wasn't me. This was too soon, and why attack someone that looked how I used to look? Long flowing blonde hair. Small and innocent with fashionable clothes that revealed skin, bordering on too much. Worse it made me think of my sister who still dressed like that.

_Lucy..._

"Come on." He turned, me with him, and gently pushed me before him and towards the front entrance of the hospital.

I didn't fight him. The wall of windows and glass doors came into view. It was pouring. The sky so dark it could have been night. A streak of light bolted across the sky, followed by roaring thunder. We stood, just to the side of the doors. I leaned forward against the glass, his hand on my back, watching the storm brewing outside.

He ran a hand through his hair and mumbled, "Great, more leaks."

"Leaks?" I didn't turn my face from the sky.

"Yeah... When I came to Magnolia, uncle put me up at this fixer-upper that wouldn't sell in the south end of town." My reflection in the glass nodded. I could distantly recall that Igneel was someone who oversaw the selling and buying of houses. Couldn't remember the name of said job, unfortunately. "Pity, it is actually a nice place. Or will be once I finish restoring it. The old man who had it three years ago had reinvaded it, an old firehouse. New everything with top of the line appliances, hardwood flooring, the works. I'm repaying my uncle back by slowly repairing the damage done when it was left there after the old man died and hooligans broke in."

My brown eyes drifted from the storm to his reflection that was staring out much like I had been. "That's spiffy."

"Hmm, I suppose." He shrugged. His eyes snapped to something outside. "There's Cana, where are your keys?"

I looked finding Cana running towards us with an umbrella over head. Her chestnut hair blowing around her. I didn't realize it was that windy. "Uh..."  _Key?_ He meant keys to my car, but for the life of me I couldn't remember where they were.

"Never mind," he muttered, taking his hand from my back as he brought my bag around and unzipped it a little. Not even reaching all the way in he withdrew my keys. It looked funny but I was distracted by the opening doors and a cursing Cana.

"Fucking hell, the jolly weather boy didn't warn us of this!" She shook out her umbrella. "Hey kids, so what the blazes happened?" Walking over she looked between the two of us. "Ruby can't drive  _why_?"

I smirked big and laughed, rubbing the back of my head. "Big badda boom."

The brunette's brow rose with amusement but confusion. Ash offered, "She means she hit her head. Lucy sort of knocked her off her feet when she tried to give a hug as we were going."

"Riiiggghhht." She held out her hand towards me. "You okay, Rubes?"

I grabbed her hand, and held the muffler in the other. "Toasty and some."

"They gave you drugs didn't they," she cooed. My smile grew and I nodded before pulling part of the muffler up to cover the lower part of my face and breath in the unique smoky fire scent. Cana gave her own soft smile and added more seriously, "That looks adorable on you by the way. Ash, what gives? I've never seen you take that off let alone allow another to wear it."

He shrugged next to me, putting my bag back over his shoulder. "It kept her entertained. Better than asking me where her damn bag was over and over."

She laughed, other hand motioning for the keys and he tossed them, needing little prompt. Squealing with delight, she did a jig before tugging me towards the door and opening her umbrella - with some difficulty seeing as she had the keys in one hand and my hand in the other. She managed, through, and sauntered out into the stormy day. I shivered, burying my nose further into the muffler. Both are high-heels snapping on the wet asphalt. Ash followed behind us, his red hood pulled up. She led us to the parking lot and looked around.

"Where'd you park, girly?" Her lips were pursed.

I shrugged. "Don't remember. But must keep safe!"

She smiled. "Ahhh, got ya." Then started walking.

"I don't get it..." Ash came to my other side.

"Her car is a beauty," Cana said, leading us to the back of the parking lot where less and less cars were parked. "I should have realized she'd park all the way out here in no man's land just so others wouldn't get a ding." A few moments later she cheered, "There's my sexy beast. About damn time I get to drive her."

I poked her cheek with my finger from my free hand. "No shin..." My nose wrinkled. "Shin... shinogas. No... shinans... No that's not it either."

Cana chuckled. "Shenanigans?"

Snapping my fingers, I then pointed at her. "Yes, that. No shenanawhatsits."

She laughed harder, stopping before my car lit in an almost heavenly glow underneath the light of the parking light. A blue beauty in the storm. "Only because you're so damn cute right now, Rubes."

Ash gapped at the car. "Is this... This isn't a cheap car, is it?"

Pushing the button to unlock the car, she stepped to the driver's door and opened it, letting go of me to do so. She then shook out her umbrella and closed it before tossing it in the back. "It's a Shelby Mustang. Not extravagantly expensive, but it did cost a pretty penny." She yanked the lever and pushed the driver's seat forward giving me room to get in. I managed with some help from her. "Whatever you do, don't puke. She'll kill you and I'd help her hid the body."

He groaned, opening the passenger door. "Joooyy."

"Hey, maybe it won't be so bad, Ashy-poo." She shoved the seat back into place and got in. "These babies are known for their smooth riding."

"I doubt it'll matter," he grumbled, slamming the door and buckling his seat belt.

I couldn't have been bothered with my seat belt, lying as I was across the back seat. My head rested on the bench behind Cana. I watched as Ash crossed his arms after lowering his hood, his face a pale, ghostly color. Made me feel bad for him, but Cancan was right, he better not mess up my car. The engine roared to life, competing with the storm. Startled his brows came up. Then she pulled out of the parking spot and his head dropped forward, closing his eyes. As we exited the parking lot, mine did the same but for a wholly different reason. Unless I was driving, cars tended to put me to sleep.

~~~~.~-~.~~~~

_This was fun and difficult to write. I've never had a concussion before, but my fiancé has had many so I got some tips from him. I didn't want fluff given they just met and it's not her character to be so open and trusting, but I felt like the concussion and drugs helped get past this part of her. This chapter if anything is more on Ash than her anyways. I wonder what's going on with him..._

_Anyways, reviews would be nice. Can't fix anything if people don't tell me what needs fixed!_


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